Customer Reviews

Wondrous Strange

5 star:		(36)
4 star:		(29)
3 star:		(21)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Now I'm not great at expressing my view on things very effectively but I will try my best.

Good - description, characters, unpredictable most of the times, an ending that wasn't sad or happily ever after and "closed"
Bad - the middle dragged a little, ended with questions in my head (but this is OK since there are at least two more books in the series), and the name Sonny (I like the name itself but to me it didn't really suit the character).
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The book basically had me hooked from beginning to end and only had me putting it down once to get a drink. The character of Kelley (protagonist) is both funny and lovable. She is 17 year old actress living in Manhattan working in an off, off, off, off Broadway production of A Midsummer's Night Dream with a bunch of kooky yet lovable actors and a crazy director.

Sonny Flannery is a changeling (a mortal child taken by the faeries and raised by them) who guards the Samhain Gate in Central Park with 12 other changelings. Though they aren't technically faeries this has made them immortal.

The story switches POV between Kelley and Sonny giving you an effective view of both Kelley's world and the world of faeries.

Like I said before there was good description throughout the book, the switching of POVs carries the story along smoothly and there are many lovable characters. For me my favourites were Kelley, her roomate, Maddox, Jack ( actor) and Bob (another actor). I also liked how the author kept true to the dark and tricky nature of faeries and their uncanny ability to deceive very effectively when they cannot lie.

There was however a point in the middle of the story were I felt the plot (right term?) dragging and my mind kept drifting away or I was debating whether I should skip over. The scene I suppose is necessary but I think it should have been shorter. Also the name Sonny kept me from really liking the character despite his actual characterization which is loyal, noble and sweet but also very strong. I don't know the name just kept me from seeing him as a capable strong young man and more of a boy or immature (but he isn't!)

There were also a couple of surprises that I did not see coming especially in the climax and before then.

The ending I liked and disliked for the same reason. It wasn't a happy ending but it also wasn't a complete conclusion (you'll see).

But I also accept it because this book is the first in a series of three Cheesy.

Hope I explained myself well. Overall this is a really good book filled with a lot faery creatures and folklore and lovable characters and surprises. And I most definitely will be reading the second book.

So many things were right and wrong with this novel. First off the premise, the girl with the mysterious heritage, a horse in her bathtub, Oberon/Auberon. Those are the things right with the book. The inside look at a working theater was great too.

But the story's potential was only hinted at.

The guys especially are oddly emasculated.

Sonny is sorta mysterious. He's handsome and has an irresistible need to protect the girl. His friend Maddox feels wrong too.

Then there's Mabh, oh, I don't even want to go there, it makes me want to reconsider the three stars I gave this book.

The heroine's Aunt, well, I'm paraphrasing here, but anyway this is how it went in the book; "Auntie dear, was I like, adopted?" gasps Kelley.

"Um, oh my golly gee, I didn't want you to know . . .but, yes. Yes you were, sorta . . ."says Auntie.

"Ohhhh, well, let's never talk about this again, cause it will drag the story down, alright?" says Kelley.

"Sure honey," says Auntie.

Okay, so I shortened the scene a bit, but really, not by much.

I was so excited to read this book. I love stories that involve the Fae (Stormborn, The Pillars of the Earth Series and Eragon) but this wasn't as fun or interesting as I thought it would be.

All in all, I did finish the book, if a book is bad I give it just 80 pages and then set it aside. I guess it's a buyer beware situation. I'm not saying don't read Woundrous Strange. I am saying that there are so many great series out, that I personally would save money for them and borrow this one from a friend or the library.

There is definitely magic between author and reader, props to you Lesley! Can I just say how much I absolutely LOVE this book?! The awesome Lesley Livingston has woven an incredible story including fairies and memorable cast of characters. Not to mention embedding humor and romance onto every page.

Even though the story is told in third person, Lesley has described everything vividly. I was absolutely dazzled by how amazing this debut book is. Every once in awhile, there's a special book that is absolutely a gem. This is it. For me, this is one of the best books I have ever read!

The characters come to life and you feel like you've known them all your life. You'll feel their emotions like they were your own. Kelley has become one of my favorite characters and so has Sonny and practically everyone in the book.

Wondrous Strange includes the excitement of theater and the magical elements of the Celtic myths. The whole experience leaves you breathless and hungry for more even though the last page satisfies you... but only for a little while. Luckily for me and all the readers that want to read this book, there will be a sequel!!

I cannot use enough words to express how much I LOVE this book! It'll appeal to teens as well as adults too, so I strongly suggest it as a Christmas present. Trust me, the person you give it to will love it!

authors such as Holly Black, Cassandra Clare and Melissa Marr; you will love this book. I thought it was a great fast read and when it ended i was left wanting to read more, not wanting it to end. i highly recommend this book, and cant wait to see what else this promising new author has up her sleeve.

I think I've wrote and then rewrote this review about a hundred times now! And I know it's going to come across one way, and that's just how it's going to have to be, because I simply cannot write it any other way. So here is goes... fangirly-ness and all. I hope you last through it.

I loved it, I LOVED it. I love it so much I want to marry it. If you are a fan of faerie books, you'll want to read this one. If you've tried faerie books before, but didn't like them, you'll want to read this. If you aren't a fan of faerie books, you'll still want to read it. It's that good.

Incredible characters, incredible writing, incredible plot. It was really just so fricking fantastic, it's hard to find the words to describe it. I never in a million years would have guessed this was a debut novel. The key to my heart is great characters and story line, and this book had it all and then some. Even the minor characters stood out to me, and they were fascinating. Like Chloe, she is a siren, a very minor role and yet she is very memorable. (And no, it's not just because I have an affinity to sirens.) As well as a few other characters..... but I don't want to give all the goods away.

Completely original/new/fun plot! I figured a few things out, but other things I was oblivious to, until they were revealed. I've read other faerie books about the faerie "royalty" if you've read Melissa Marr you know what I'm talking about here. Not that I'd even compare this book to Marr's because they are at totally two different ends of the spectrum. And I don't mean that in the quality of writing, because they are both fabulous writers. Did I just write fabulous... don't you just love the plethora of "f" adj.!? Do you think I'm subconsciously doing it because of the whole faerie thing... freaking fantastic fascinating fabulous faeries! I promise I did NOT do that on purpose!

Great writers write what they know.... what movie is that from? (.....Never Been Kissed!) I think that statement definitely has some truth to it. Kelley is an actress. (a struggling actress to be more specific) The theater scenes within the novel were marvelous (notice no `f' here!) so I wasn't surprised to learn that the lovely Lesley Livingston herself is at home on the stage. I wonder if she knows any faeries personally?

I think the thing I loved most about this novel was Kelley. She is an exceptional female protagonist. I was instantly drawn to her character. She's honest, she imperfect, and she doesn't pull the Bella card. (You know Bella, right? Oh what was that Edward, you're a vampire and want to suck the life out of me. Of course I'm not afraid!) When a cute guy tells her that faeries are real. She reacts like a normal person and laughs in his face. LOVED IT.

And I must mention Sonny. Ah... Sonny.. Mom can I have one? Yeah that's really all I'm going to say about him, because if I tell you, they you're going to want him too, and you can't have him because he's mine. No really, I'm not going to tell you how incredibly cute he is, and how he kicks major faerie a**, because he's all protecting the mortal world from the awful faeries.. And yet, he can still rescue the damsel in distress even if she is mean to him and laughs in his face. Nope, not going there.

I simply cannot say enough good things about this novel. I highly recommend you grab a copy of this book. It would make an awesome Christmas present! And I'm even more thrilled to mention that this novel is the beginning of a trilogy!

Wondrous Strange is about a changeling who finds out she's a faery princess. She goes into the faery world where there is Puck, Queen Maeb, and King Oberon. Livingston's writing is good and we are transported to the faery world, but there is too many similarities with the Iron King. The plot is the same and the characters are the same even with same names. Wondrous Strange is better told, however, with a heroine more alluring than Kagawa's.

This is a curl-up-and-read sort of book that pulls you right into a magical world, complete with a beautiful run-down theatre and wonderful scenes in Central Park. Aspiring young actress Kelly discovers her heritage and falls hard for Sonny, whose mysterious connection to the Otherworld of faeries rivals Kelly's own.

Kelley Winslow is an actress trying to make end meet and suddenly she is playing Titania in a production of A Midsummer Night's Dream. Sonny Flannery is changeling, that is a part of the Janus guard. The Janus Guards job is to protect the world of humanity from the Fae that slip through Samhain Gate. Their worlds couldn't be more different, yet they are connected.
Sonny can tell that Kelley is different from the moment he finds her. He is instantaneously drawn to her, Kelley is his "Firecracker". Kelley does not understand why this man is following her or why he has this delirious claims that she is out of this world. Soon, they learn the truth, and realize how much trouble that they are truly in.
This is one of those books, where you sit in a chair and don't move until you are completely numb or have to get up for some reason. The characters are amazing. Kelley is an amazing protagonist. She had her flaws and about a million reasons why I liked her. For example, She isn't like, "There are fairies!" after he tells her. She reacts how most people would react, by laughing. Sonny is a lovely male character, that I want to learn more about. He kicks some major butt with the Fae and still saves the girl that he likes, which is something I find a great characteristic.
I also loved the plot. It was very interesting. Faeries + Theater = A Happy Sarah. The theater parts were amazing and so were the faeries. I liked the concept of two different worlds, that are only linked for a small part time. I liked how Kelley rejected that she was a faerie and slowly realized that she was. This book is amazing and I recommend it. If you like Tithe trilogy and Wicked Lovely Trilogy, I believe that you will enjoy this book.

I started reading this book, and within the first couple chapters, I had figured this was some sort of Holly Black knock-off. It really hit me when I read about the Unseelie Court. I didn't ever learn too much about Faeries, and so had only encountered the courts in Black's books. Of course, there are more than just the Seelie and Unseelie Courts. The Autumn Court (with the "evil" Queen Mabh) and Spring Court (which is only mentioned in passing) also exist. There is also a lot about Shakespeare in the story, especially A Midsummer Night's Dream.

Basically, Kelley is a young actress in a theater troupe that will be performing A Midsummer Night's Dream in two weeks. She is the understudy to play Titania when the actress busts her leg. She also runs into a guy named Sonny, who just happens to be one of the thirteen Janus - human changelings brought up in the realm of Faeries that live in present-day New York City to protect the Samhain Gate, found in Central Park, which opens up once a year. After their first meeting, a very important kelpie lands in Kelley's bathtub, and Sonny and Kelley manage to meet up multiple times. They're falling for each other, at the most dangerous time of the year, when the gate is open for nine nights in a row. And this time, somebody is trying to resurrect the Rider and the Roan Horse, an evil curse that would bring death and destruction to NYC and possibly the rest of the world.

The story did have a slightly typical plot twist, if you will, that the entire story was then based off of. It was then later expanded on to something more unusual and very interesting. I also found many of the secondary characters fun and unexpected. The kelpie was funny (any horse living in a bathtub and eating Lucky Charms is a surprise). Others like Chloe and Bob are interesting because their stories are thought through. The quirks of each species also shines through, and each one is unique and thought out. The roommate Tyff seemed relatively shallow, but otherwise lacking in character. Many of the actors seemed boring and downplayed, as well. Some threads in the acting troupe parts were not completed (such as one of the actors, Alec, liking Kelley. She admits he likes her, but never says anything else to him, even after Sonny's in the picture).

I enjoyed a lot of the Shakespeare parts of the story. It's a great way to learn a bit about Shakespeare and make it more modern for kids who read the plays in school. I have never read A Midsummer Night's Dream, so I learned something about the story. There are some references to Macbeth, and there are also parallels between Shakespeare and Wondrous Strange. I feel like the Shakespeare added something more valuable to the story and makes it stand out.

Kelley and Sonny seemed a lot like the typical fantasy romance couple. She thinks she's an average girl (although she lives on her own in New York and already has a job at seventeen), and he leads an atypical, all but unhuman life. She of course finds out his secret life, and the two manage to like each other and fall in love against the odds. I did enjoy that Sonny is human, even if living with faeries has given him special powers and he only looks eighteen when he has lived for over a hundred years.

Overall, I enjoyed the story. It was a unique blend of Shakespeare and Livingston's own made-up fairy tales, legends, and creatures that really seemed to come to life. Many of the humans were overlooked, and I think a couple parts of the story could have used a bit of work (such as the lack of punishment for missing two days' worth of rehersals basically two days before opening night when the director is a crazy nut). There were a lot of coincidences in a Dickens-like way, but, as Sonny says, there are no coincidences. I hate comparing this to Holly Black, but it just seems natural (and all too easy to write a list of major differences). The story isn't as openly violent (like best friends getting killed by drowning), but Sonny's job *is* to kill all of the faeries to come through the Gate, and there are a couple stories of mass killings, et cetera. I'd say that if you liked Black's works, try this. Even if you don't like Shakespeare, you'll like this. It's not reading ten pages of wordy, barely understandable Old English.

MY REVIEW: ****THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SOME SPOILERS SO PROCEED WITH CAUTION****

The story of Kelley & Sonny, sort of, left me feeling blah...

Wondrous Strange by Lesley Livingston is the first book in the Wondrous Strange trilogy. Therefore, a lot of information and key players had to be introduced in this novel. Unfortunately, I felt Livingston spent too much time telling me information and not enough time actually building and developing relationships. I know there are still two more books to go, but at this point in time, the plot and characters are lacking substance.

The relationship between Kelley & Sonny wasn't believable for me. Boy meets girl, boy stalks girl, and they fall in love. No, not fall in love, just pages later -BOOM- they are so in love. But what is the basis for this connection? This love? Because she shines like a firecracker? That's unrealistic. Consequently, I couldn't find it in me to root for them.

Secondly, Emma who basically raised Kelley ...We hear about her reasons for taking and taking care of Kelley and we hear she is overprotective, but we don't see anything to support this. In fact, throughout the entire book Kelley & Emma have one phone conversation and that is only because Kelley wants answers that only Emma can give her.

There were some positives though. Livingston creates an extremely detailed, original faerie world. Also, I really enjoyed how she incorporated A Midsummer Night's Dream into the storyline. And, the cover to this book is breathtaking!

I'm going to read the next book in this trilogy because 1) I already bought the book because it was the last one on sale at Books-a-Million and 2) I am really hoping it gets better. I will keep you posted.

I gave Wondrous Strange 2 STARS because, honestly, I wasn't that impressed. My recommendation is to check back after I post my review for Darklight, the second book in the Wondrous Strange trilogy. I am keeping my fingers crossed that Livingston has more character development and action in store for Kelley and Sonny.

-XOXO
READING, EATING & DREAMING

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