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A devilish debut by a brother-sister team invites us into the world of the elite Marlowe School, where some gifted students are having a hell of a year. (Age 14 and up)One night, in cities all across Europe, five children vanish — only to appear, years later, at an exclusive New York party with a strange and elegant governess. Rumor and mystery follow the Faust teenagers to the city's most prestigious high school, where they soar to suspicious heights with the help of their benefactor's show more extraordinary "gifts." But as the students claw their way up — reading minds, erasing scenes, stopping time, stealing power, seducing with artificial beauty — they start to suffer the sideeffects of their own addictions. And as they make further deals with the devil, they uncover secrets more shocking than their most unforgivable sins. At once chilling and wickedly satirical, this contemporary reimagining of the Faustian bargain is a compelling tale of ambition, consequences, and ultimate redemption.
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In towns across Europe, ten-year old children - Belle, Christian, Victoria and Valentin - are greedily wishing for things they do not have: beauty, fame, money, success. One night, the children mysteriously disappear and no one, not even their parents, remember that they even existed. Years later, the teenagers, along with Belle's twin sister Bice, reappear in New York City. Led by the beautiful and mysterious Madame Vileroy, the teenagers enroll in the prestigious Marlowe School and use their special gifts to soar to the top.
To the outside world, Madame Vileroy is a selfless governess raising five adopted teenagers. Behind closed doors, Vileroy was the one to recognize their greed and to grant them the things they so desired in show more exchange for their souls. Their special abilities are what they always wished for, but come with just enough imperfections to keep them wanting more. Belle has the beauty that turns heads, but her smell of "vomit and honeysuckle" has people running for the door. Victoria reads minds to get ahead, but her ambition leaves her with no friends and pushes her to grovel for Vileroy's attention. Valentin is a brilliant poet and can rewind time over and over again until he's pleased with the outcome of a situation. However, he is always searching for a way to perfect his ability and is left with thousands of replayed possibilities that plague his thoughts. Christian is a master sportsman and can absorb anyone's energy with a single touch, but he struggles with using his gift and knows that he's competing unfairly. And Bice is the quiet outcast, the girl who speaks dozens of languages and yet hides in the shadows, too scared to speak to anyone.
As the teens cheat, steal and paw their way through Marlowe, Vileroy schemes to fuel their greed and to turn them against each other. She plays on their insecurities and cons them into giving up yet another piece of their humanity. As the story progresses, some teens question their gifts and yearn for real human connections, while others drive blindly towards more power.
Written by a brother and sister team, Daniel and Dina Nayeri, Another Faust is a modern take on the old German legend of a man who trades his soul to the devil in exchange for knowledge. Another Faust spins an addictive tale of backstabbing, covetousness and pure evil, and adds layers upon layers of details to each character and his or her gift. We see the full spectrum of the teenagers' abilities, the effect of their tricks on others and the frequent backfiring of their actions.
The novel does lack in some aspects: there is a lot of build-up to certain revelations, which are hastily glossed over; the secrets revealed at the end are given little attention and would have better served if they were at least hinted at throughout the novel. However, the novel's faults are quickly forgotten as it comes to a dramatic, hold-on-to-your-seats type of finale that will make for some excellent scenes if Another Faust is ever made into a movie. show less
To the outside world, Madame Vileroy is a selfless governess raising five adopted teenagers. Behind closed doors, Vileroy was the one to recognize their greed and to grant them the things they so desired in show more exchange for their souls. Their special abilities are what they always wished for, but come with just enough imperfections to keep them wanting more. Belle has the beauty that turns heads, but her smell of "vomit and honeysuckle" has people running for the door. Victoria reads minds to get ahead, but her ambition leaves her with no friends and pushes her to grovel for Vileroy's attention. Valentin is a brilliant poet and can rewind time over and over again until he's pleased with the outcome of a situation. However, he is always searching for a way to perfect his ability and is left with thousands of replayed possibilities that plague his thoughts. Christian is a master sportsman and can absorb anyone's energy with a single touch, but he struggles with using his gift and knows that he's competing unfairly. And Bice is the quiet outcast, the girl who speaks dozens of languages and yet hides in the shadows, too scared to speak to anyone.
As the teens cheat, steal and paw their way through Marlowe, Vileroy schemes to fuel their greed and to turn them against each other. She plays on their insecurities and cons them into giving up yet another piece of their humanity. As the story progresses, some teens question their gifts and yearn for real human connections, while others drive blindly towards more power.
Written by a brother and sister team, Daniel and Dina Nayeri, Another Faust is a modern take on the old German legend of a man who trades his soul to the devil in exchange for knowledge. Another Faust spins an addictive tale of backstabbing, covetousness and pure evil, and adds layers upon layers of details to each character and his or her gift. We see the full spectrum of the teenagers' abilities, the effect of their tricks on others and the frequent backfiring of their actions.
The novel does lack in some aspects: there is a lot of build-up to certain revelations, which are hastily glossed over; the secrets revealed at the end are given little attention and would have better served if they were at least hinted at throughout the novel. However, the novel's faults are quickly forgotten as it comes to a dramatic, hold-on-to-your-seats type of finale that will make for some excellent scenes if Another Faust is ever made into a movie. show less
Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales.
Quick & Dirty: A paranormal twist on teen drama with a hard look at societal pressure, popularity, and coercion that leaves you questioning, how far would you go if you could to get what you want?
Opening Sentence: Victoria didn’t have time to play.
The Review:
The premise of Another Faust somewhat assumes that the reader is familiar with the story of the Faust myth, and is still an excellent read without that familiarity, creating a curiosity to learn more just to understand Another Faust better. There were plenty of paranormal elements to make this book just creepy enough, but not scary. It is obvious that the authors, Daniel and Dina Nayeri, are extremely well-read, which is good and bad. On one show more hand, references throughout the book add layers to the story, but on the other hand, anyone less well-read constantly has a nagging feeling that they are missing out on something, almost like a private joke.
The big questions about self in this book are what really stay with the reader and keep us connected, rather than the characters. What would be worth selling your soul for? Many would think there is nothing that would be worth it, but as we look deep into that selfish part of ourselves we could probably all find something. And that’s where, even the characters that do not end up “selling their souls” in this book still end up selling a part of themselves with the right coercion. Basically Madame Vileroy creates a “perfect” abusive relationship, in which she magnifies her adopted children’s faults to a point where they feel so trapped in the lies that they live that they will do almost anything to keep living those lies. It become clear that what they are really searching for is acceptance, however, their selfishness is exactly what keeps them from achieving that, and Madame Vileroy of course knows that and uses it for all it’s worth.
Ideally, with five main characters, the reader would relate to one of them more than the others, and in my opinion, the main flaw of this book is that the teenage characters are too exaggerated to be as real or relatable as they need to be to make the reader really care what happens to them. Given Christian’s background as stated at the beginning, and his character throughout the book, most readers are probably most sympathetic to him, but still don’t develop much closeness to him beyond that. The other characters are so incredibly selfish that they kind of deserve what they get along the way. It is also somewhat odd that the book begins when these five characters are ten years old, rather than as actual teenagers, as if ten was some magical age of accountability.
Another point made throughout the story is the prospect of what selling your soul entails. It is apparently not just a one time act but a state of selfish addiction and greed, almost impossible to overcome. Perhaps the most interesting character is Madame Vileroy herself, she remains a mystery throughout the book, even to the end. Her mystery is accentuated by a short flashback at the beginning of each chapter that gives just enough of a snippet to be barely informational but mostly intriguing. She is just an older, more practiced version of the children, and she seems to have everything figured out, however, like most people who think they know everything, she doesn’t. Her motives are somewhat confusing at times.
As the first book in a series, I would rate this personally as my second favorite of the series. It is creative, new, and well-thought out, but needed more character development and more excitement. Maybe a little more romance to spice it up, or maybe more physical danger. The teenage drama, even with a great twist, was just a little bland. This was not a difficult read, or boring by any means, but it could have been better, especially given the originality of the plot base.
Notable Scene:
“This is my job. To watch over you.” Madame Vileroy whispered. “See who’s coming?”
Victoria noticed Lucy and her mother, each carrying trays full of Magnolia cupcakes.
“Don’t worry. I know about her campaign.”
Madame Vileroy rolled her eyes, a move that was disconcerting to Victoria, who couldn’t help but gaze into the governess’s strange left eye. “Yes, the election. But you can’t think of a single fun thing to do besides? With all that information?”
“What do you mean?” asked Victoria.
“You watched her for four hours last night.”
Victoria waited.
“Where’s the clever Victoria I used to know?” Vileroy goaded. “The girl that used to be my most talented, the one that could always give us a good laugh.”
Victoria picked up her pace and approached Lucy and her mother.
“Hi, Mrs. Spencer. How are you?” Victoria said with concern. “I’m so sorry to hear about the divorce settlement.”
FTC Advisory: Candlewick Press provided me with a copy of Another Faust. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review. show less
Quick & Dirty: A paranormal twist on teen drama with a hard look at societal pressure, popularity, and coercion that leaves you questioning, how far would you go if you could to get what you want?
Opening Sentence: Victoria didn’t have time to play.
The Review:
The premise of Another Faust somewhat assumes that the reader is familiar with the story of the Faust myth, and is still an excellent read without that familiarity, creating a curiosity to learn more just to understand Another Faust better. There were plenty of paranormal elements to make this book just creepy enough, but not scary. It is obvious that the authors, Daniel and Dina Nayeri, are extremely well-read, which is good and bad. On one show more hand, references throughout the book add layers to the story, but on the other hand, anyone less well-read constantly has a nagging feeling that they are missing out on something, almost like a private joke.
The big questions about self in this book are what really stay with the reader and keep us connected, rather than the characters. What would be worth selling your soul for? Many would think there is nothing that would be worth it, but as we look deep into that selfish part of ourselves we could probably all find something. And that’s where, even the characters that do not end up “selling their souls” in this book still end up selling a part of themselves with the right coercion. Basically Madame Vileroy creates a “perfect” abusive relationship, in which she magnifies her adopted children’s faults to a point where they feel so trapped in the lies that they live that they will do almost anything to keep living those lies. It become clear that what they are really searching for is acceptance, however, their selfishness is exactly what keeps them from achieving that, and Madame Vileroy of course knows that and uses it for all it’s worth.
Ideally, with five main characters, the reader would relate to one of them more than the others, and in my opinion, the main flaw of this book is that the teenage characters are too exaggerated to be as real or relatable as they need to be to make the reader really care what happens to them. Given Christian’s background as stated at the beginning, and his character throughout the book, most readers are probably most sympathetic to him, but still don’t develop much closeness to him beyond that. The other characters are so incredibly selfish that they kind of deserve what they get along the way. It is also somewhat odd that the book begins when these five characters are ten years old, rather than as actual teenagers, as if ten was some magical age of accountability.
Another point made throughout the story is the prospect of what selling your soul entails. It is apparently not just a one time act but a state of selfish addiction and greed, almost impossible to overcome. Perhaps the most interesting character is Madame Vileroy herself, she remains a mystery throughout the book, even to the end. Her mystery is accentuated by a short flashback at the beginning of each chapter that gives just enough of a snippet to be barely informational but mostly intriguing. She is just an older, more practiced version of the children, and she seems to have everything figured out, however, like most people who think they know everything, she doesn’t. Her motives are somewhat confusing at times.
As the first book in a series, I would rate this personally as my second favorite of the series. It is creative, new, and well-thought out, but needed more character development and more excitement. Maybe a little more romance to spice it up, or maybe more physical danger. The teenage drama, even with a great twist, was just a little bland. This was not a difficult read, or boring by any means, but it could have been better, especially given the originality of the plot base.
Notable Scene:
“This is my job. To watch over you.” Madame Vileroy whispered. “See who’s coming?”
Victoria noticed Lucy and her mother, each carrying trays full of Magnolia cupcakes.
“Don’t worry. I know about her campaign.”
Madame Vileroy rolled her eyes, a move that was disconcerting to Victoria, who couldn’t help but gaze into the governess’s strange left eye. “Yes, the election. But you can’t think of a single fun thing to do besides? With all that information?”
“What do you mean?” asked Victoria.
“You watched her for four hours last night.”
Victoria waited.
“Where’s the clever Victoria I used to know?” Vileroy goaded. “The girl that used to be my most talented, the one that could always give us a good laugh.”
Victoria picked up her pace and approached Lucy and her mother.
“Hi, Mrs. Spencer. How are you?” Victoria said with concern. “I’m so sorry to hear about the divorce settlement.”
FTC Advisory: Candlewick Press provided me with a copy of Another Faust. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review. show less
This is a nice break from the current trend in paranormal/magic/otherworldly teen lit (or at least the stuff I've been reading). Instead of making a vampire or witch or werewolf into a good guy, Another Faust features four teens who actually make deals with the devil. And that's bad. None of them end up being good guys, though there are varying levels of bad. Two of them are saved from their hellish fate by the one teen in their group who never made the deal, a secret fifth. She was good in the beginning and she remains good through to the end.
Evil doesn't always look like evil, but once you realize who is evil in this book, they remain so. And they are really evil. I mean, these kids have traded their souls to the devil for beauty, show more fame, power, and wealth. The devil is their nanny. Living in high society New York, they call her their governess. Throughout the book, the teens are all doing their governess's bidding as she plans to bring powerful people into her grip through them. It never really becomes clear what the devil's big plan is, though it is clear that the plan is well thought out and complicated. Her plan is kind of abandoned as the teens break rank and try to regain their souls.
Even with some confusing moments and more than a few loose ends, I felt that this book ended in a satisfying way. I was completely sucked in to the story and glazed over the gaps and holes while reading. I would imagine that many others will do the same. show less
Evil doesn't always look like evil, but once you realize who is evil in this book, they remain so. And they are really evil. I mean, these kids have traded their souls to the devil for beauty, show more fame, power, and wealth. The devil is their nanny. Living in high society New York, they call her their governess. Throughout the book, the teens are all doing their governess's bidding as she plans to bring powerful people into her grip through them. It never really becomes clear what the devil's big plan is, though it is clear that the plan is well thought out and complicated. Her plan is kind of abandoned as the teens break rank and try to regain their souls.
Even with some confusing moments and more than a few loose ends, I felt that this book ended in a satisfying way. I was completely sucked in to the story and glazed over the gaps and holes while reading. I would imagine that many others will do the same. show less
There is only one way to describe this book. Deliciously and sinfully good. It’s like eating five pounds of chocolate knowing there will be extreme consequences later but no matter, it’s still good. So, why do I describe Another Faust this way?
For starters, I almost giggled with glee and delight when things started going well for the main characters, in particular, I loved the part Victoria played in this book. I loved her rivalry with Lucy. I cackled with glee as Victoria always found a way to upend Lucy - I laughed even more when the fighting escalated into hair pulling and punching. I couldn’t help but feel supportive towards Victoria. Perhaps it’s because I’m just sick of reading about characters like Lucy; picture show more perfect, the school sweetheart, the one with the potentially bright future..etc. Yes, you get the picture. Victoria is a classic and unforgettable villain that will stay with me for as long as I can remember.
The plot was very well done and got me turning the pages. Fast. Yet I have to admit I hesitated in the first few chapters. The descriptions of the school and the teens in it almost made me want to drop the book because I didn’t feel like reading anything that resorted to name brand listing or how expensive everything is. Almost. It was that little blip that nearly got me to drop this book. What kept me reading? It was Victoria. She really carried my interest throughout the book.
As for the other characters, I also liked the twins, Bella and Bice. They both were so different, yet they complimented each other well. I’m glad the authors didn’t use the good twin/evil twin cliche that’s been overdone in many other books out there. I also like Bice’s gift. It was the most interesting and unique one out of all of the characters. Each of them had their own little ‘gift’ yet it was Bice’s that really stood out. Of all the characters, I really didn’t like Valentin. What a spoiled selfish baby he was. Arg.
As for the ending of this book, it was left very wide open and I’m wondering if there’s going to be sequel. It certainly would be interesting if there is going to be one. I’d really like to know the outcome of these characters. I actually did not want this book to end. I was enjoying it way too much.
Overall, a wonderful twist on Goethe’s Faust. I’ll be looking forward to Another Pan when it comes out (which may be a twist to Peter Pan? I’m not sure) I do recommend this book to other YA readers who want a change in their characters. Hooray for evil deeds! show less
For starters, I almost giggled with glee and delight when things started going well for the main characters, in particular, I loved the part Victoria played in this book. I loved her rivalry with Lucy. I cackled with glee as Victoria always found a way to upend Lucy - I laughed even more when the fighting escalated into hair pulling and punching. I couldn’t help but feel supportive towards Victoria. Perhaps it’s because I’m just sick of reading about characters like Lucy; picture show more perfect, the school sweetheart, the one with the potentially bright future..etc. Yes, you get the picture. Victoria is a classic and unforgettable villain that will stay with me for as long as I can remember.
The plot was very well done and got me turning the pages. Fast. Yet I have to admit I hesitated in the first few chapters. The descriptions of the school and the teens in it almost made me want to drop the book because I didn’t feel like reading anything that resorted to name brand listing or how expensive everything is. Almost. It was that little blip that nearly got me to drop this book. What kept me reading? It was Victoria. She really carried my interest throughout the book.
As for the other characters, I also liked the twins, Bella and Bice. They both were so different, yet they complimented each other well. I’m glad the authors didn’t use the good twin/evil twin cliche that’s been overdone in many other books out there. I also like Bice’s gift. It was the most interesting and unique one out of all of the characters. Each of them had their own little ‘gift’ yet it was Bice’s that really stood out. Of all the characters, I really didn’t like Valentin. What a spoiled selfish baby he was. Arg.
As for the ending of this book, it was left very wide open and I’m wondering if there’s going to be sequel. It certainly would be interesting if there is going to be one. I’d really like to know the outcome of these characters. I actually did not want this book to end. I was enjoying it way too much.
Overall, a wonderful twist on Goethe’s Faust. I’ll be looking forward to Another Pan when it comes out (which may be a twist to Peter Pan? I’m not sure) I do recommend this book to other YA readers who want a change in their characters. Hooray for evil deeds! show less
The prologue starts off five years before the rest of the book where we're introduced to our main characters who are Victoria from England, Christian from Scotland, twin sisters Belle and Bicé from Italy and Valentin from France who only have age and unhappiness in common. Then one night they all disappear from their beds.
The children reappear five years later in New York with their beautiful governess, Nicola Vileroy who's only outward imperfection is an odd left eye which pretty much scares the hell out of everyone. About a quarter of the book takes place before they're enrolled at
Overall it wasn't a bad story but I didn't enjoy the characters. Victoria was a bitchy hag, Valentin was a liar and kind of lost his mind/any decency he may have ever possessed at the end, evil Vileroy (I know I'm supposed to hate the bad guy but sometimes I don't) and Belle who was so vain to start off with. I did like the story idea but I might have connected better if it was someone who had sold their soul for family or love...maybe. My biggest problem was that I felt like there wasn't a real ending and I don't do well with maybe they had a happily ever after.
So if you enjoy books about evil governesses and pretty dumb kids who will sell their souls for petty reasons, then you should read Another Faust.
full review: http://angeltyuan.blogspot.com/2010/03/audio-review-another-faust-by-dina.html
review of: audio book read by Katherine Kellgren
An amazing tale wrought out of teenage desires fulfilled and tested, complicated character dynamics, and the cruel consequences of desperation. It is hard to watch the teens grow more obsessed and dependent on their powers, at the same time alienating themselves and hiding behind their cruelty. The twists and turns in the last few chapters delves further into that overhead question of willing sacrifice versus coming to peace with oneself, culminating in what I choose to believe as an ending open for interpretation.
The narrator breathes a vibrant and colourful life into the story through her amazing show more range of accents for each character, major or minor, it is easy to overlook the sometimes underwhelming writing. show less
review of: audio book read by Katherine Kellgren
An amazing tale wrought out of teenage desires fulfilled and tested, complicated character dynamics, and the cruel consequences of desperation. It is hard to watch the teens grow more obsessed and dependent on their powers, at the same time alienating themselves and hiding behind their cruelty. The twists and turns in the last few chapters delves further into that overhead question of willing sacrifice versus coming to peace with oneself, culminating in what I choose to believe as an ending open for interpretation.
The narrator breathes a vibrant and colourful life into the story through her amazing show more range of accents for each character, major or minor, it is easy to overlook the sometimes underwhelming writing. show less
Like I said about Fairy Tale, Another Faust for me was another book that felt like my own personalized version of fantasy and reality. I'm the sort of person that sometimes avoids fantasy because I fear if there is too much fantasy there will be nothing I recognize and will be utterly and completely lost. So again, Another Faust was a perfect balance of me of the recognizable and the fantastical.
For me, Another Faust is all about the characters. I adored them and their gifts and their everyday and ordinary struggles. The way the authors narrated the book was just so right to me. It was the perfect perspective into the minds of these teens. For the cast of characters we have Victoria who is in it to win it when it comes to academics, show more Christian who wants to win at athletics, Bicé who keeps to herself and seems like the odd one out, Belle who is so beautiful but doesn't smell as such and Valentin the gifted poet. All under the control of Madame Vileroy who remains a mystery throughout the entire story. I actually consider their apartment another character but you will have to read the book to see why!
For me what's so great about this book is there are no gigantic displays of power or huge stand-offs but I know that might turn some people off. For me that's just the way I wanted it. All the teens gifts changed the events of the story in interesting ways, and I just loved it. And what a sense of humor this book had, I found it pretty funny. I can't wait to see what the authors have in story for the students at Marlowe in the next installment Another Pan! show less
For me, Another Faust is all about the characters. I adored them and their gifts and their everyday and ordinary struggles. The way the authors narrated the book was just so right to me. It was the perfect perspective into the minds of these teens. For the cast of characters we have Victoria who is in it to win it when it comes to academics, show more Christian who wants to win at athletics, Bicé who keeps to herself and seems like the odd one out, Belle who is so beautiful but doesn't smell as such and Valentin the gifted poet. All under the control of Madame Vileroy who remains a mystery throughout the entire story. I actually consider their apartment another character but you will have to read the book to see why!
For me what's so great about this book is there are no gigantic displays of power or huge stand-offs but I know that might turn some people off. For me that's just the way I wanted it. All the teens gifts changed the events of the story in interesting ways, and I just loved it. And what a sense of humor this book had, I found it pretty funny. I can't wait to see what the authors have in story for the students at Marlowe in the next installment Another Pan! show less
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Series
Common Knowledge
- Original publication date
- 2009-08-25
- People/Characters
- Madame Nicola Vileroy; Victoria Faust; Christian Faust; Belle Faust; Bice Faust; Valentin Faust (show all 8); Lucy Spencer; Ms. Lemieux
- Important places
- New York, New York, USA; Manhattan Marlowe School, Manhattan, New York, New York, USA
- Dedication
- "So, who do you think we should dedicate it to?"
"I don't know. Let's just get this over with."
"What? What's the problem?"
"Nothing. I just think we should move it along."
"Well, we can't move... (show all) it along until you say what's wrong."
"There's nothing wrong!"
"You're all pensive."
"What, now you're trying to police my moods?"
"Are you kidding?"
"All right, I've had enough of this. Let's just dedicate it to Oprah and get it over with."
"This is ridiculous. If you're going to be so angry, we can do this later."
"No! let's just do it now."
"Fine! Who do you want to dedicate it to?"
"This is stupid. I'm sick of you dictating everything."
"You're so stupid, sometimes."
"You're stupid."
"Moooom!"
"Moooom!"
This book is dedicated to our mom. - First words
- Victoria didn't have time to play.
- Last words
- (Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)Maybe it was a storybook beginning.
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