by Karen Healey
Another earnest novel, but with enough plot (and thoughtful characterization) to balance out its more lecturey moments. The writing occasionally rose above serviceable to reach something numinous, particularly in the descriptions of how the world looked to those who could see myth overlaid on realit...
If you don't live in a very small, part of the world that - on the whole - consumes mass culture rather than produces it, you have no idea the pleasure of simply reading a book that speaks with your own accent. That uses local words for local things. That knows what it's like getting out of bed ever...
It's a bit like the author looked at everything she disliked in fantasty/horror and wrote against it, successfully. This is a creepy book with great characters and good pacing. Looking forward to her next book, due out this year.
Well, this might as well have been written for me. Boarding school, Maori mythology, evil fairies and a production of a Midsummer Night's Dream. I enjoyed every bit of it, including the uncommon heroine.
2.5 starsI really appreciated how different it was, being set in New Zealand, using the Maori mythology, etc.It made for a very interesting read that maintained my interest, but sadly I did not really connect with any of the characters. They were real enough, I just did not know them. They were not ...
I loved so very many things about this book, including the Maori mythology and the asexual character, neither of which I've seen in YA or fantasy before. I'm particularly taken with the idea that our personal mythologies can shape our perception of the world quite literally. I also loved the ending,...
Ellie has recently started at boarding school while her parents travel the world for a year. She is struggling to fit in but at least she has her best friend Kevin to hang out with. Everything starts to change when she literally bumps into the mysterious Mark who she has had a crush on for ages. ...
Karen Healey’s Guardian of the Dead is excellent. If you like stories, enjoy debates about the affects of stories on our lives, if you like good fantasy, or scary fairies then you need to read this book. I would absolutely recommend this book to everyone I know, even if they don’t fit those catego...
The Guardian of the Dead is incredibly original. Is the first time that I have read about New Zealand myths and now, thanks to Karen Healey, I have learned a lot! The main character, Ellie, is very funny and sooooo great when she does her tae-kwon-do to defend herself. The main male character, Mark,...
You can read my review of the book here: http://www.thegenretraveler.com/fantasy/travel-reads-guardian-of-the-dead/
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