![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
juushikaTitle: Four and Twenty Blackbirds
Author: Cherie Priest
Published: New York: A Tor Book, 2005 (2003)
Page Count: 285
Total Page Count: 112
Text Number: 39,138
Read For: my own enjoyment, checked out from the library
Short review: Eden sees ghosts—specifically the three female spectres that have haunted her and protected her throughout her life. She is also haunted by her fanatical, unbalanced cousin who has tried twice to kill her. After the second failed attempt, Eden begins to unearth her own family history in order to determine why her cousin wants her dead: he fears that she will revive the spirit of her long dead great-grandfather, an heartless African magician who desires immortality. A richly Southern gothic book, replete with dark mansions, hauntings, and a gnarled and twisted family tree, this is an atmospheric and engrossing read. However, simply unraveling the plot takes up the entire book, leaving no room for character growth or side stories, and the protagonist borders on annoying throughout the text. This is a promising first novel, but faulted. Moderately recommended.
The highlight of this book is its pacing and its atmosphere, both of which make it a swift and engrossing read. From the abandoned, haunted locations to the immediate and physical threats, as well as the twisted and convoluted plot that Priest unravels without massive exposition, the book moves at a skillful pace: just fast enough to keep the reader consistently interested without being brief or full of annoying cliffhangers, just slow enough to really get into and enjoy the supernatural aspects. This book reads well and is hard to put down. The plot is detailed and well-crafted, especially for a debut novel.
In many ways, however, the plot is too detailed and too well crafted: it is the sole and driving force in the book. At less than 300 pages, with such a meticulous plot, there is barely room in the book for anything else. Beyond the first few chapters, character development is limited or lacking and there are no side plots or side stories to add realistic depth to the text. The only other time that Priest inserts non plot related detail is to describe what Eden eats or how she drives, details which are so pointless they are almost confusing. The attempts that are made, primarily through the narrative voice, to define Eden's character make her seem cocky, brash, and irritating. It feels as if the book and even the characters do not exist fully in their own right, but rather as a vehicle to serve the plot. As a result, the book ends abruptly. There is no lasting connection to the characters and no greater meaning to the story, so when the plot ends, the book is finished and done.
Four and Twenty Blackbirds is a promising debut novel, and I will probably go on to read more of Priest's work. She has a very strong grasp on the Southern gothic genre, and conceives a plot twisted enough to fit this gnarled setting. However, both in style and execution, there are a number of issues with the book, and it is not particularly memorable after the fact. As such, I only moderately recommend it: this is a swift, engrossing read and has a lot of offer, but it is not an outstanding or a must-read book.
Review posted here at Amazon.com.
Author: Cherie Priest
Published: New York: A Tor Book, 2005 (2003)
Page Count: 285
Total Page Count: 112
Text Number: 39,138
Read For: my own enjoyment, checked out from the library
Short review: Eden sees ghosts—specifically the three female spectres that have haunted her and protected her throughout her life. She is also haunted by her fanatical, unbalanced cousin who has tried twice to kill her. After the second failed attempt, Eden begins to unearth her own family history in order to determine why her cousin wants her dead: he fears that she will revive the spirit of her long dead great-grandfather, an heartless African magician who desires immortality. A richly Southern gothic book, replete with dark mansions, hauntings, and a gnarled and twisted family tree, this is an atmospheric and engrossing read. However, simply unraveling the plot takes up the entire book, leaving no room for character growth or side stories, and the protagonist borders on annoying throughout the text. This is a promising first novel, but faulted. Moderately recommended.
The highlight of this book is its pacing and its atmosphere, both of which make it a swift and engrossing read. From the abandoned, haunted locations to the immediate and physical threats, as well as the twisted and convoluted plot that Priest unravels without massive exposition, the book moves at a skillful pace: just fast enough to keep the reader consistently interested without being brief or full of annoying cliffhangers, just slow enough to really get into and enjoy the supernatural aspects. This book reads well and is hard to put down. The plot is detailed and well-crafted, especially for a debut novel.
In many ways, however, the plot is too detailed and too well crafted: it is the sole and driving force in the book. At less than 300 pages, with such a meticulous plot, there is barely room in the book for anything else. Beyond the first few chapters, character development is limited or lacking and there are no side plots or side stories to add realistic depth to the text. The only other time that Priest inserts non plot related detail is to describe what Eden eats or how she drives, details which are so pointless they are almost confusing. The attempts that are made, primarily through the narrative voice, to define Eden's character make her seem cocky, brash, and irritating. It feels as if the book and even the characters do not exist fully in their own right, but rather as a vehicle to serve the plot. As a result, the book ends abruptly. There is no lasting connection to the characters and no greater meaning to the story, so when the plot ends, the book is finished and done.
Four and Twenty Blackbirds is a promising debut novel, and I will probably go on to read more of Priest's work. She has a very strong grasp on the Southern gothic genre, and conceives a plot twisted enough to fit this gnarled setting. However, both in style and execution, there are a number of issues with the book, and it is not particularly memorable after the fact. As such, I only moderately recommend it: this is a swift, engrossing read and has a lot of offer, but it is not an outstanding or a must-read book.
Review posted here at Amazon.com.
