Comments for Violin in a Void http://violininavoid.wordpress.com Fri, 14 Jun 2013 21:21:06 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.com/ Comment on Review of The Shining Girls by Lauren Beukes by Review: The Shining Girls | Sugar & Snark http://violininavoid.wordpress.com/2013/05/29/review-of-the-shining-girls-by-lauren-beukes/#comment-4075 Fri, 14 Jun 2013 21:21:06 +0000 http://violininavoid.wordpress.com/?p=2353#comment-4075 […] “It’s a fantastically creepy, mind-bending read that grabs you and just doesn’t let go until the very last page.” – Worlds In Ink “It’s a great story and one of the best South African novels I’ve read.” – Violin In A Void […]

]]> Comment on Review of The Bone Dragon by Alexia Casale by Reviews, reviews: thank you to all the lovely reviewers! | The Bone Dragon http://violininavoid.wordpress.com/2013/05/10/review-of-the-bone-dragon-by-alexia-casale/#comment-3779 Tue, 11 Jun 2013 16:13:59 +0000 http://violininavoid.wordpress.com/?p=2313#comment-3779 […] Lauren Smith at Violin in a Void [SPOILER ALERT!]: “At first glance, The Bone Dragon looks like a fantasy novel, but in truth it’s more a psychological drama that walks a fine line between fantasy and realism. … It does however, make The Bone Dragon one of the most sophisticated and psychologically compelling YA novels I’ve encountered. As I read, and then as I went through my review notes and re-considered the story, I was increasingly impressed by the psychology of Evie’s character. … I was struck by how dark this novel. It’s not something you notice at first glance. After all, it’s not bleak. Evie is strong, she’s recovering, she’s got a wonderful family. The plot isn’t depressing: there are many happy moments with Evie’s friends and family, we see her work through her problems, and of course she has her magical dragon. And as I mentioned, you don’t relive the abuse with Evie. But there are grim, brutal things that very quietly crawl in under your skin. … Then there’s the ending, which I think would could spark and interesting discussion because that’s where the issue of the dragon’s reality becomes the most important. I think these things creep up on you because it’s not a dramatic book. It just calmly gets on with its very serious, painful and even shocking subject matter, while making room for the positive, heartwarming stuff too. And then it stays with you for a while after you’ve finished. I like Evie more than a lot of YA characters I’ve read, even though she scares me a little. The Bone Dragon is also a more mature and emotionally complex kind of YA than the kind I normally find myself reading, and I appreciate that. Not that I necessarily prefer all my books to be grim, but it’s good to see the genre handling something with such gravity too.” […]

]]> Comment on Review of The Bone Dragon by Alexia Casale by Reviews, reviews: thank you to all the lovely reviewers! | Alexia Casale http://violininavoid.wordpress.com/2013/05/10/review-of-the-bone-dragon-by-alexia-casale/#comment-3778 Tue, 11 Jun 2013 16:09:26 +0000 http://violininavoid.wordpress.com/?p=2313#comment-3778 […] Lauren Smith at Violin in a Void [SPOILER ALERT!]: “At first glance, The Bone Dragon looks like a fantasy novel, but in truth it’s more a psychological drama that walks a fine line between fantasy and realism. … It does however, make The Bone Dragon one of the most sophisticated and psychologically compelling YA novels I’ve encountered. As I read, and then as I went through my review notes and re-considered the story, I was increasingly impressed by the psychology of Evie’s character. … I was struck by how dark this novel. It’s not something you notice at first glance. After all, it’s not bleak. Evie is strong, she’s recovering, she’s got a wonderful family. The plot isn’t depressing: there are many happy moments with Evie’s friends and family, we see her work through her problems, and of course she has her magical dragon. And as I mentioned, you don’t relive the abuse with Evie. But there are grim, brutal things that very quietly crawl in under your skin. … Then there’s the ending, which I think would could spark and interesting discussion because that’s where the issue of the dragon’s reality becomes the most important. I think these things creep up on you because it’s not a dramatic book. It just calmly gets on with its very serious, painful and even shocking subject matter, while making room for the positive, heartwarming stuff too. And then it stays with you for a while after you’ve finished. I like Evie more than a lot of YA characters I’ve read, even though she scares me a little. The Bone Dragon is also a more mature and emotionally complex kind of YA than the kind I normally find myself reading, and I appreciate that. Not that I necessarily prefer all my books to be grim, but it’s good to see the genre handling something with such gravity too.” […]

]]> Comment on Review of Poppet by Mo Hayder by Review of Helen of Troy by Ruby Blondell | Violin in a Void http://violininavoid.wordpress.com/2013/05/31/review-of-poppet-by-mo-hayder/#comment-3769 Tue, 11 Jun 2013 15:50:24 +0000 http://violininavoid.wordpress.com/?p=2364#comment-3769 […] I read, and it’s no co-incidence that I picked up on the issue of women’s agency in Poppet by Mo Hayder, which I read right after Helen of Troy and have already reviewed. A good/virtuous character is a […]

]]> Comment on Review of The Shining Girls by Lauren Beukes by Lu (@Sugar_and_Snark) http://violininavoid.wordpress.com/2013/05/29/review-of-the-shining-girls-by-lauren-beukes/#comment-2596 Sun, 02 Jun 2013 12:35:15 +0000 http://violininavoid.wordpress.com/?p=2353#comment-2596 I agree it is really a “fresh perspective to both historical and crime fiction”. It was unlike anything I have ever read!

]]> Comment on Review of The Shining Girls by Lauren Beukes by Lauren http://violininavoid.wordpress.com/2013/05/29/review-of-the-shining-girls-by-lauren-beukes/#comment-2376 Thu, 30 May 2013 18:18:24 +0000 http://violininavoid.wordpress.com/?p=2353#comment-2376 Looking forward to your reviews then!
I love being able to watch the SA sff scene grow, and my interest in local fiction is growing rapidly along with it.

]]> Comment on Review of The Shining Girls by Lauren Beukes by Melinda http://violininavoid.wordpress.com/2013/05/29/review-of-the-shining-girls-by-lauren-beukes/#comment-2373 Thu, 30 May 2013 18:04:44 +0000 http://violininavoid.wordpress.com/?p=2353#comment-2373 Actually I’ve added some SA novels to my classics list, I’m really going to start reading more SA fiction!

]]> Comment on Review of The Shining Girls by Lauren Beukes by Lauren http://violininavoid.wordpress.com/2013/05/29/review-of-the-shining-girls-by-lauren-beukes/#comment-2372 Thu, 30 May 2013 18:03:14 +0000 http://violininavoid.wordpress.com/?p=2353#comment-2372 Thanks Melinda! And hey, it’s never too late to start.

]]> Comment on About me by Melinda http://violininavoid.wordpress.com/about-me/#comment-2371 Thu, 30 May 2013 18:03:05 +0000 http://violininavoid.wordpress.com/#comment-2371 I also don’t like romance novels and I’m pretty bad with emails too!

]]> Comment on Review of The Shining Girls by Lauren Beukes by Melinda http://violininavoid.wordpress.com/2013/05/29/review-of-the-shining-girls-by-lauren-beukes/#comment-2369 Thu, 30 May 2013 18:00:40 +0000 http://violininavoid.wordpress.com/?p=2353#comment-2369 This is a really good review, Lauren. I’m embarrassed to say I’ve never read anything by Lauren Beukes :-/

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