The Name of The Wind (& The Wise Man's Fear)

 The Name of the Wind & The Wise Man's Fear
Patrick Rothfuss

The first two books of the Kingkiller Chronicle series by Patrick Rothfuss. Telling the story of Kvothe, the unrivaled sword fighter, musician and magician.

So how did I feel about these books, you ask? Simply put; I fell in love.

I started off pretty skeptical as they are very heavy on imagery and at first I wasn't sure where the description ended and the story begun, but once it did and once I'd fallen in love with Kvothe, I was a goner.        

I didn't put either of these books down until I finished them. Rothfuss's style of writing is addictive, it has a fast pace to it yet still manages to include enough imagery and extra information to keep the world he's created developing. Every word is devoured and I couldn't help re-reading paragraphs in order to make sure I had drained everything from it.

I'm not fond of books written in first person, and I don't usually like switching time frames (the books alternate between Kvothe's past and Kvothe's -disguised as a innkeeper Kote- present). However I can appreciate why Rothfuss does this and it adds to the book and plot enormously.

I have one complaint - the third isn't written yet (or at least is in progress). But to be honest all good things come to those who wait and I am definitely waiting!

The Kingkiller Chronicles are brilliant for young adults and adults alike, a great one to put on your shopping list for people's birthdays etc. The world is incredible, the characters wonderful and the writing itself topnotch.

You don't want to miss out, I promise you.

Good Reading!
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Life now,

Little under nine months ago I moved to the city of Edinburgh. Being Scotland, obviously it was raining. That day was one of the biggest in my life.

When dreaming of university, you think of the friends, the courses, the FUN you will have; but arriving, in the pouring rain, the stark reality hits you - you are in a city you don't know, surrounded by people you don't know, about to start a whole new adventure, a whole new chapter in your life.

University is difficult, messy and honestly, whatever you make it. I decided on that day that I would make it everything I'd always wanted and that I would live it to the full.

Resolutions, schmezolutions, it was hard, I won't lie, those first weeks were hard, but also wonderful and forgetful. They are a blur to me now, and they weren't very long ago. But the thing is - fresher's week doesn't matter, those weeks at the beginning of first semester don't matter, you're finding your feet and they help you do it, but once you're standing with no dedicated week or course introductions holding your hand, you're alone and treading water by yourself. University offers you thousands of choices, paths, things to do, and so you choose, you swim this way and that, you ride the tide of societies, you do everything you want to do and no more.

And I did do it, I got involved with things that interested me, made friends with people I liked, did things I regret, things I'm proud of, made choices I wouldn't again, I experienced, I survived and I changed.

I'm proud to say that I am no longer the person we all had to be on that first day; that nervous person who felt the need to be overconfident, overeager and over-committed. That person got me where I am today, but I've matured, I feel established, Edinburgh is home now, and I feel confident just being here. I'm settled. And that I think is the progression many first years will feel they've made, each person, in their own way, has made the university their home, their place, their world, and I hope for them that they're happy with what they've done.

I write this with my first exam of the semester in two hours, you'll learn that I'm not the most productive person in the conventional sense; I get distracted easily - my best friend likes to describe me as a child in the candy shop. But I think writing this reminds me that I do love Edinburgh, and the time I've had here, and although melodramatics are making me curse the city and the university as exam stress gets the better of me, I wouldn't want to be anywhere else.

My lovely followers, I was going to start a new blog but I realised that I love this one too much, I love reviewing books, I love speaking with you guys and knowing you're reading my stuff because you like it, I love looking back on my writing from two years ago, yeah - hopefully my writing and attitudes will have changed a bit, as I've matured, but you'll cope with them, because you're wonderful. My reviews will be coming back online - I've refound time to read books WHICH IS GLORIOUS, I've missed it so much - basically life is now more settled and I have time to reimmerse myself with you all, and thank God, I've really missed you - there'll be a review forthcoming - imagine Game of Thrones in Outer Space (that politically romantic  - thankfully not everyone dies for once - type).... It might be next week as I have two exams to get through first - Wish Me Luck

Glad to be Back,

Just This Teenager

Seraphina

Imagine watching the T.V. and your favourite character is watching something spectacular, unsuspecting as a mysterious figure clothed in dark and intrigue creeps closer behind them, producing a long, sharp, shining dagger preparing to thrust it between his shoulder blades and just as the darting tip pricks his flesh your character spins and deflects the blade much to your anxious relief causing you to release your breath you didn't realise you were holding. Only for 3 more assailants to appear out the shadows and begin attacking him and as he grows steadily weaker and things begin to seem dire and hopeless your characters love interest arrives and sparks explode as they protect each other whilst arguing over who is taking whom and going where.

This scene portrays the mixed emotions and rollercoaster ride I embarked on whilst reading Seraphina. Rachel Hartman has in her fantastical debut spun a bittersweet story of politics, romance, music and dragons. Her characters are so well developed and I fell in love with them all, even the villains. Her style of writing is so lyrical and smooth that I just fell into the rhythm she weaved even though I was desperate to speed ahead and find out what happened. Hartman knows how to control and direct the reader without losing their interest, instead allowing your involvement in the story to spiral constantly feeding titbits to fan your flame until it all explodes in a shower of fabulousness.


Four decades of peace have done little to ease the mistrust between humans and dragons in the kingdom of Goredd. Folding themselves into human shape, dragons attend court as ambassadors, and lend their rational, mathematical minds to universities as scholars and teachers. As the treaty's anniversary draws near, however, tensions are high.

Seraphina Dombegh has reason to fear both sides. An unusually gifted musician, she joins the court just as a member of the royal family is murdered—in suspiciously draconian fashion. Seraphina is drawn into the investigation, partnering with the captain of the Queen's Guard, the dangerously perceptive Prince Lucian Kiggs. While they begin to uncover hints of a sinister plot to destroy the peace, Seraphina struggles to protect her own secret, the secret behind her musical gift, one so terrible that its discovery could mean her very life.

In her exquisitely written fantasy debut, Rachel Hartman creates a rich, complex, and utterly original world. Seraphina's tortuous journey to self-acceptance is one readers will remember long after they've turned the final page

However I have one complaint..... it has a sequel which isn't out until March 24th 2015.. Cruel Hartman very cruel. I await it with bated breath meanwhile naming Seraphina my book of 2014 so far and awarding it the coveted Skinny rating.

Good Reading
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Life as I know it..... in this moment of time

Hello dear people,

I am home, snug with my laptop, lying on my sofa, rain battering at the window (in fierce denial that it's actually SUMMER), watching Four Rooms. And it strikes me..

a) i'm being completely lazy not bothering to write on my blog to all you dear people

b) my feet are uneven sizes, but that's by the by

c) rich dealers tend to be overweight

d) i'm extremely lucky

and

e) when i do eventually start blogging, inevitably starting a list that's actually incredibly difficult to think of things to put in a  list once you've started


Well I hope you're all well and that you enjoy my forthcoming review of my book of the year so far (Seraphina) and that I'll speak to you all soon!
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The Lego Movie

Here I was, finally rediscovering my passion for blogging, prepared to write a whole speech about how I'm now 18, far more mature, embracing the new order of adult life. But instead I find myself dying to tell you about the hilarious, uplifting, cheerful film phenomenon The Lego Movie. Find below the amazing song that is strung throughout the movie, and is one of those horrifically annoyingly catchy songs that you can't help loving  but hating in equal measures.

OK unfortunately this isn't the sequence from the actual movie but it gives you an idea. I didn't want to go and see The Lego Movie, I thought it was bound to be a childish couple of hours worth of shameless Lego promoting drivel. Which it was... but it was also fricking awesome! It is one of those films marketed towards children but that adults drag their children along to on the pretense of a movie night out for the children, but really it's only the adults who get all the snide jokes, and play on words. The children are just distracted by the bright colours, catchy songs and multiple explosions!

It's worth the watch and I'm looking forward to it coming out on DVD..... under the pretense of watching it with my tiny cousins of course!! 

 

So Hello World, Just This Teenager's back and as immature, fun loving, and generally awesome, as EVER!

Grimm Tales for Young and Old

The Grimm Tales, for young and old, by Philip Pullman was a delight. A retelling of the magical fairy tales of the Grimm Brothers, Pullman weaves in a little of his own magic with sprinkles of wit, reflections and swift direction into these iconic famous tales.

I was smitten from the moment I saw it in Waterstones; not only was it a collection of popular and not so popular fairy tales but it had been retold by one of the best fantasy authors of our time Philip Pullman, with each tale ending with a small concise and often funny analysis by the man himself.

A collection of 50 folk stories there are some classically brilliant ones (variations of Snow White, Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty and the Three Musicians of Bremen) and some less known, however no less entertaining.

Pullman has selected the best of the Grimm Tales and given them a new lease of life for the children and adults of today to read and enjoy in a far more modern manner.

A extremely obvious Skinny Rating for my new fairy tale collection of all time.

Good Reading
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18 Baby!

So on the 3rd February at 11.06am exactly I turned 18. F*ck Yeah! It was the most perfect birthday ever considering the circumstances! My parents decorated my granny's kitchen with balloons and streamers as I'd said jokingly last weekend that I wanted a party with my family. Darn they delivered. I cried when I walked into the room!

It's been quite difficult this gap year due to the fact that all my friends are spread out across the globe and country literally and this birthday was promising to be pretty dull and boring seeing as none of them could make it on the day. But it turned out perfectly.
I even got a pancake pan.

This pretty much summed it up.

Peace out

T

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