Chime

Where do I begin to talk about Chime? It's a magical story and it's not: the plot revolves around magical beings, around what are essentially soul-sucking vampires, around a girl who is a witch. The plot revolves around a stepmother, and illness, around a girl who is made to believe that she's a bitch. Sorry: Chime makes me want to play with words, makes me think a little like Briony (which was, by chance, almost my own name).

I can quite see why some people don't like it. It requires thought, patience, and a willingness to tread out new brain-paths. Briony isn't an easy narrator, and she isn't reliable either, as she constantly tells us. The narrative isn't a straightforward quest, it's a maze, it's full of funhouse mirrors.

I loved this. I found the culmination of it all satisfying, and I happily followed the maze through to the end. I loved the friendship that turned into love and also remained friendship, so much more solid-feeling than the kind of romances that fiction is enamoured of where there's a spark and then a flame without any time in between. I loved the characters, and I would prefer to read them again.

But if you read fifty pages and you're not intrigued, if you read fifty pages and you would like to kick Briony, if you'd like to stop reading, then stop. It probably isn't going to magically turn out to be the book for you. ( )

Beautiful, mesmerizing, eerie... Franny Billingsley has such a gift for the way she puts words together. Truly an art form, and of course, a great story. ( )

excellent book with an endearing protagonist ( )

** spoiler alert ** I have a very difficult time writing reviews. Especially when I can't simply type OMG! IT'S AMAZING!

This is a good book, but I had a very difficult time relating to the main character or even liking her. But if you're one of those people that has been told your entire life that you're terrible and wicked, then maybe this is the book for you.

Because of gaps in Briony's memory, the reader experiences those gaps as well. I found this frustrating...especially since I just read The Tiger's Wife and felt equally frustrated figuring that one out. Both are interesting reads, but I'm not of fan of being tossed into a world that you can't really figure out.

I was pretty sure that Briony wasn't a witch and that her StepMother was bad news as soon as she mentioned what Leanne was. Plus, that Chime Child thing was pretty clear when Rose freaked out about noon and midnight.

It's a good book, but great? I didn't think so. ( )

Just was not happening. The language was too all over the place. Maybe some other time.