Title: The Reader
Author: Traci Chee
Series/Standalone: Sea of Ink and Gold Series (Book #1)
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Adventure
Pages: 442
Publisher: Putnam
Year Published: 2016
Format: Hardcover Physical Book (Own It)
First Line: "Once there was, and one day there will be."
"Once there was, and one day there will be. This is the beginning of every story.
Sefia lives her life on the run. After her father is viciously murdered, she flees to the forest with her aunt Nin, the only person left she can trust. They survive in the wilderness together, hunting and stealing what they need, forever looking over their shoulders for new threats. But when Nin is kidnapped, Sefia is suddenly on her own, with no way to know who's taken Nin or where she is. Her only clue is a strange rectangular object that once belonged to her father, something she comes to realize is a book.
Though reading is unheard of in Sefia's world, she slowly learns, unearthing the book's closely guarded secrets, which may be the key to Nin's disappearance and discovering what really happened the day her father was killed. With no time to lose, and the unexpected help of swashbuckling pirates and enigmatic stranger, Sefia sets out on a dangerous journey to rescue her aunt, using the book as her guide. In the end, she discovers what the book hd been trying to tell her all along: Nothing is as it seems, and the end of her story is only the beginning."
My Rating: 4.5/5
I'm trying very hard to get back to reading guys. At least one book a week if not more. So here's the first one that I felt like I kinda had to push through. I think that this book really reminded me why I personally chose not to DNF books. I started this a week ago and had a bit of trouble getting into it. I started reading on Sunday and made it about 80 pages pushing myself to get through them. I then proceeded to read it here and there, one or two pages every night. So when I picked it up this morning I was so confused about what was happening. If you feel this way if you're picking this up, please push through because around the 150 page mark it picks up the pace. I think that the part that was the most frustrating in the book was the pacing and timeline in the start of the book. There are many characters who don't seem related and it's hard to distinguish what is happening to who and when. Another aspect of this book I found frustrating was the use of words by the page numbers. I couldn't keep track of both the storyline and the story that was completely different on the bottom of the page. I appreciated the detail but it was a little too much for me.
While writing this review I looked up when the next book in this series comes out and it's sadly not until November of this year so until then I'll just be looking at the goodreads page anticipating following up with the characters.
Thanks for reading,
Sidny
So this book was a really good pick up from the reading that I've had lately. I feel like I've read alot of books that I thought were just ok and this one was really good. So let's start with why this book wasn't a 5/5 for me personally. I debated over what rating to give this book for some time, but I found the start of the book to be so incredibly slow, it just wasn't a 5/5 for me personally. I was happy that I didn't chose to DNF this book after 80 pages though because I began to really enjoy it around the 150 page mark (this is an estimate). I think something the author struggled with was pacing in this book. I couldn't tell how much time had passed and where we were going. I also found it difficult to relate the main character at the beginning of her reading journey (it seemed to come a little to easily). It just felt strange to read about someone learning to read. I did enjoy the aspect that a book could be magical and teach you the future, present and past. I also enjoyed the assortment of point of views after I got used to it. At first it seems like there is too much going on at once but after you get used to it, it become enjoyable to see what you're characters are up too.
Characters:
Sefia:I think she was an interesting chosen one character. She made it clear from the start her intentions but when faced with the reality of having to kill someone she wasn't so sure. Which I feel is extremely realistic. I also thought that she was a bit naive to trust some of those around her or to leave notes behind her. That made it a little to easy. I wonder what she will do now that she's on the run from The Guard. Will she stop and join them or count on the crew to help her. I can't wait to read the sequel in... November...
Archer: I think that he was another interesting main character. Mute and tortured he made for someone who was interesting to see in the world. Having been caught and forced to do so many horrible things that he forgot his past. It makes me wonder what he will have to do now that he has his voice and memories back. Clearly he and Sefia are a badass duo, so I strongly hope that that continues.
Nin: I wonder about her connection with the Guard and Sefia's parents.
Lon: He got a little big for his shoes I think at some points in the library but he was a powerful character. I wonder how he knew Tanin and why it came to his death in the end. Obviously they weren't that good of friends.. I'm just saying.
Captain Reed: Loved this character he was charming and bad in all the right ways. I think that he served an interesting role in the story and it should be interesting to see him in the sequel. His crew is definitely a unique one and he seems like one of the more just pirates I've read about.
Tanin: Who the hell are you? And why do you think that bringing a raging war to those everyone will end in eventual peace? Will it be a forced peace? That's kind of what it sounds like to me. I'm glad she's dead but what will happen without her as the director.
Harison: What a sweet boy? The stories about his past broke my heart a million times over.
Mareah: To have to give up who you were, are and a future is horrible. But to kill those you love to show you're loyalty to a cause? That's cruel. It makes me think hard about the Guard and what they believe.
The mate: Creepy but in the best way. I want to know more about his life and how he came to understand the ship. Can we please have a novella for this guy? Please?
Moments To Remember:
Pg. 323
"'You got a chioce, Sef. Control your future, or let your future control you.'"
Final Line: "'Anywhere but here,' she said."
Thanks for reading,
Sidny
