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the slow pacing is just not working for me at the moment *puts back on TBR pile*
On the cover it says: Creepy, romantic and oozing with atmosphere...
Not quite. More than creepy, this is the heartbreaking story of a girl, and of her family, trying to deal with the aftershock of the death of one of it's members: their son, and Willa's brother.
Romantic?
No, this doesn't have a romantic bone in it. We all know that romance sells, especially YA romantic stories, but this story, isn't more of the same, so do not expect romance in it.
Atmospheric?
Yes, amazingly so. Beautifully done, this is one of those books in which you can almost feel the elements pressing down on you. In these case, the mist and the fog.
Biggest compliment about this story?
The fact that it is completely different of the usual YA trope: the characters, their motivations, their objectives in life, are completely different of what we're used to. And I guess in this factor lies its biggest asset and weakness, all at the same time, depending on whom is reading it.
I am not even sure which tags to use towards this story... this is not a fantasy book, it has some paranormals elements, but this is a story mostly rooted on earthly elements. In this case, the sea.
To label this a contemporary, it would be just too misdirected... so, I guess I am going to go with magical realism story. And maybe I've got it all wrong, but I can't help feeling that this wasn't directed at it's appropriate audience. I think that fans of author Sarah Addison Allen would love this story.
The story is one of coming of age, at a time when everything seems to be set in stone, when we know that it only takes one thing, to make it all fall apart...
This is what has happened in Willa's life. Her brother died, and she's been drowning in guilt ever since.
She thought that she had her life all figured out: she was going to take care of the family business, she was going to marry her long time boyfriend, but things and priorities change.
So when she finds herself all of a sudden, thinking about the abandoned lighthouse a couple of miles of her island, reality and the unexpected, suddenly collide.
In the lighthouse, Willa will meet the Grey Man, not an ancient being of power and elemental power, but a boy who like her, also found himself attracted to that island, and to the girl that at time lived there...
For a hundred years, Grey has been "living" under a curse. Just like a prince in a fairytale, the lighthouse is his castle, and he can have everything he wants... except being truly alive, and abandoning the island.
When Willa starts taking notice of the cursed island, and of Grey himself, he believes that the time has come to shed his burden, and that Willa will be the new lighthouse keeper, allowing him to get back to a body of flesh and bone.
But what would prompt a young girl to leave everything behind and sacrifice her life in order to take her place as the Grey Lady of the lighthouse?
Let me tell you this: Just when I thought that I was seeing where this was going, the author pulled the rug under my feet!
I loved it! :)
Bottom line: I completely fell for the storyline, but this had some uneven path...
I love beautiful language, and this has it in spades... but, the pace of it, at time drags somewhat, which may cause some irritation (side effects, and stuff, lol) on other readers. Especially if they were expecting a story written more in the fantastical side of things.
But in the end, I loved the fact that this wasn't a story about a girl who fell for a boy, and how her life got transformed because of it *eye roll*. I loved that the parents weren't missing in action, but instead were a vital part of this.
I loved the fluidity of the end, and the message it carried.
Oh, and this is a stand alone! Amazing in our "time and age"! ;)
Buy "Mistwalker"
This story keeps surprising me :)
A falling-down deathtrap? That was what the lighthouse decided I wanted? I wondered if there was a union I could talk to. A Monster and Faery Local 223, where I could complain
about the condition of my haunt.
pop by The Accidental Reader for more reveiws
I look at all the glowing reviews, maybe not glowing, but most of the reviews are very complimenting, and I feel bad.
I'm in a minority here. What book did I read, I wonder…
Mistwalker was one of my most anticipated books of 2014. When I saw it on NetGalley, I hit the 'request' button immediately. Then, I crossed my fingers and I waited…anxiously…and I was approved.
I actually did a little happy dance then. And happily(!!) I settled down to read it. Imagine my surprise once I realized I was bored. The pacing is slow, the writing is beautiful but I've seen better.
Yes, the setting is fairly interesting and beautiful, the idea is
great. But the pacing is so damn slow that I found myself dozing off.
I wanted to like it so badly, but I could barely finish reading it.
Yet, looking at all those great reviews I kept wondering- 'did I miss something? Was I missing something?'
I kept on reading, pushing through it and hoping that at some point. At any point something would happen, something interesting. At one point I was so desperate for Something .
Sadly, for me it never came. Yes, there is that thing that happened eventually (view spoiler). But I felt as if it wasn't explained well. Why did it happen like that? WHY?
Zero. Nada.
Maybe it just wasn't for me. I don't know. I've been putting off this review long enough, and now I don't have much to write or explain.
I actually wish this book would have made me feel something. Even rage. But I feel nothing, beside maybe that it was a waste of my time. It's a weird feeling for me, to be so detached from the book and the characters. So very bored.
A review copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review
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Sometimes a book comes along that is just made for you a book that you understand because it gets you and you get it. Mistwalker was that book for me. It is about a girl who loves her family and loves the sea. I could very easily be that girl.
I love the ocean. It is as much a part of me as my blood and bones are. I grew up on the water, I played in it, earned my money on it and taught others how to harness it. I understand its beauty and am fearful of its strength. It is not hard for me to relate to this book and it was not hard for me to fall in love with it.
I really liked this book. It wasn’t just that I related to it, it was the way it was written, the subtleness of its messages, the honest characters. It was a combination of many good things strung together to create something really great.
The story itself was brilliant and was something I was not expecting. The blurb and the cover suggested that this book was going to feature a windswept romances bursting full of angst and passion. But the reality was a different story. There is no romance here, no star crossed lovers. It is a story about a girl trying to atone for her mistakes and a man looking to escape from his. I had built myself up for the big romance (I was in one of those moods) but was not disappointed when it didn’t appear. I liked that it was absent and that this books wasn’t full of teenage drama.
The writing was great. Saundra Mitchell writes beautifully her writing it descriptive and poetic. The atmosphere she creates is eerie and interesting. She handed the supernatural element outstandingly well and it all fit in with the rest of the plot perfectly. Getting lost in this book was extremely easy.
The characters were well rounded and likeable. Willa is not a bubbly, friendly teen. She can come across a little cold but it is clear she cares greatly about many things. She made a stupid mistake that had tragic consequences but she doesn’t wallow in self-pity. She would do anything for her family and friends but it no dependant on them. One of the things I really loved about her was that she didn’t need a boy in her life. She wasn’t all smitten and obsessive over a guy which made a nice change.
Grey is completely the opposite of Willa. His personality is bigger, he is charming and funny but does have a temper on him and is prone to boats of self-pity. Like Willa he has made a mistake and has been paying for it for many years. He isn’t perfect (neither of them is) and despite his best effort Willa is never really taken with him.
Mistwalker is special to me for many reasons and I think I was always destined to love it. This book will not have the same effect on everyone but it is still a beautiful story that is beautifully written.
