I was VERY excited to read this, and MAN it was incredible!
Seven stories of passion and love separated by centuries but mysteriously intertwined—this is a tale of horror and beauty, tenderness and sacrifice.
An archaeologist who unearths a mysterious artifact, an airman who finds himself far from home, a painter, a ghost, a vampire, and a Viking: the seven stories in this compelling novel all take place on the remote Scandinavian island of Blessed where a curiously powerful plant that resembles a dragon grows. What binds these stories together? What secrets lurk beneath the surface of this idyllic countryside? And what might be powerful enough to break the cycle of midwinterblood? From award-winning author Marcus Sedgwick comes a book about passion and preservation and ultimately an exploration of the bounds of love.
I LOVED THIS BOOK. It was so unique, so well written and it just grabbed you. I have never read anything of Sedgwick before but he is now on my radar:
Originality: 9. I am a hater of short stories, but love a good companion novel- this book combines there two elements into 7 stories which move backwards in time revealing more and more as we travel backwards. Intrigue abounds.
Absurdity: 2. Read that first sentence again in the book description: An archaeologist who unearths a mysterious artifact, an airman who finds himself far from home, a painter, a ghost, a vampire, and a Viking", a little absurd, yes, but the way the author writes the stories they flow together in a way I never could have imagined!
Level of Paranormal Romance: 8. This is a story about love across time and form.
Level of Harry Potter-ness. 10. This was a fabulous short book. compelling, different, and just plain great. As NP so nicely put it:
Seven intense story lines stretch from the near future to the distant past, together forming a labyrinthine story of love, sacrifice and blood. Over and over again, a cast of vampires, Vikings and high priests encounter one another in various forms — with dire consequences for both their past and future incarnations. via
This book highly deserves the Printz honor and I hope that you all go out there and enjoy a copy yourself!
Stacking the Shelves... a day late....This is my first Stacking the Shelves! Gasp! But too good to hold back on the 2014 Printz Award winners: "The Michael L. Printz Award is an award for a book that exemplifies literary excellence in young adult literature."
Midwinterblood by Marcus Sedgwick (2014 Prinz Winner)
Seven stories of passion and love separated by centuries but mysteriously intertwined—this is a tale of horror and beauty, tenderness and sacrifice.
An archaeologist who unearths a mysterious artifact, an airman who finds himself far from home, a painter, a ghost, a vampire, and a Viking: the seven stories in this compelling novel all take place on the remote Scandinavian island of Blessed where a curiously powerful plant that resembles a dragon grows. What binds these stories together? What secrets lurk beneath the surface of this idyllic countryside? And what might be powerful enough to break the cycle of midwinterblood? From award-winning author Marcus Sedgwick comes a book about passion and preservation and ultimately an exploration of the bounds of love.
The Kingdom of Little Wounds by Susann Cokal (2014 Printz Honors)
A young seamstress and a royal nursemaid find themselves at the center of an epic power struggle in this stunning young-adult debut.
On the eve of Princess Sophia’s wedding, the Scandinavian city of Skyggehavn prepares to fete the occasion with a sumptuous display of riches: brocade and satin and jewels, feasts of sugar fruit and sweet spiced wine. Yet beneath the veneer of celebration, a shiver of darkness creeps through the palace halls. A mysterious illness plagues the royal family, threatening the lives of the throne’s heirs, and a courtier’s wolfish hunger for the king’s favors sets a devious plot in motion.
Here in the palace at Skyggehavn, things are seldom as they seem — and when a single errant prick of a needle sets off a series of events that will alter the course of history, the fates of seamstress Ava Bingen and mute nursemaid Midi Sorte become irrevocably intertwined with that of mad Queen Isabel. As they navigate a tangled web of palace intrigue, power-lust, and deception, Ava and Midi must carve out their own survival any way they can.
What's new to your shelf this morning? As always, a big cheers to Tygna's Reviews for hosting Stacking the Shelves- happy weekend!
