Title: The Strange Case of the Alchemist Daughter (The Extraordinary Adventures of the Athena Club #1)
Author: Theodora Goss.
Format: Audiobook.
Publisher: Simon & Shuster Books for Young Readers.
Page count: 402.
Release day: June 20th 2017.
Genre: YA, Mystery, Fantasy.
Rating: 2 stars.
Rating:
Characters: 6/10
Atmosphere: 6/10
Writing: 3/10
Plot: 5/10
Intrigue: 3/10
Logic: 5/10
Enjoyment: 4/10
Average: 4.57
My thoughts:
I had heard so many great things about this one, so I really wanted to love it as well! I do really enjoy YA mysteries, and obviously I like fantasy. So I really thought this would be something for me, but unfortunately it was not..
My biggest struggle with this book was the writing style. The characters are ‘writing’ the story after it happened. So most of the time you read what they have written, but sometimes you read their conversation while they are writing it. Comments like ‘That’s not what I said’ or ‘can we skip this part, the next part is more interesting’. And I just really did not vibe with that haha! Not only that, I in general was not a big fan of the writing, it just made it hard for me to connect to the story.. But that is of course personal preference!
I enjoyed the characters in the beginning but Mary started to annoy me halfway through the book.. The only character I really liked the whole way through was Diana!
Actually similar for the plot, I was interested in the beginning but started to lose my interest halfway through the book. Which made it harder for me ton pick up the audiobook, hence the low intrigue rating. I feel like barely anything happened in the last 100/200 pages.
I really can see why people do like this book, with all these famous characters from the past (Holmes, Hyde, Jekyll). I guess the plot can be good if you enjoy the characters?!
Conclusion, this was not for me and I won’t be continuing this series!
I have the same thoughts as Lisa – I wonder if this would be a cute approach if it were written. As an audiobook, the breaking of the 4th wall would make me insane.
Yeah, maybe audiobook is not the way to go with this one!
I’m sorry it didn’t work for you! I read this book (and the other two in the series), and loved it! I really liked the quirkiness of the approach and the backstories of all the characters. I wonder if I would have liked it as much if I’d listened to the audiobook — I read it in print, and had a great time with it.
Glad you did love them!
Maybe reading it in print would work better with this writing!
I’m sad this book wasn’t for you. I checked the sampler, and while I find the concept of characters “speaking as they write” the story interesting, I find that it’s also not for me, as it takes me out of the story. Hopefully your next read will be more enjoyable. Happy reading!
Yeah the idea was better then the execution for me haha
Thanks for this review. I am still quite intrigued by this title and more about the whole development and how characters like Holmes, Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde are brought into the story.
Yeah the curiosity maar me pick it up!
I hope you enjoy it more than me if you pick it up!