Runemarks

I love Joanne Harris and I also love fantasy books, and while this was definetely not bad, it was neither a great Joanne Harris book, nor a great fantasy read. Comparisons with Terry Pratchett were inevitable for me, and the result was disappointing. The story is very good, but the writing style is not. I do not know if the author tried to "simplify" things to attract a younger audience, but the result seemed awkward at times. I felt I could catch glimpses of a great book, without actually ever getting there.

Thought it would have been better (0/0 people found this helpful)

I have really enjoyed Joanne Harris' other works but this work was not up to her normal standard. Firstly I think it relies on a previous knowledge of Norse mythology - with it the characters probably work in an entertaining way, without it they are just a bunch of backstabbing characters that you care equally little about. Secondly there seems to be an inner confusion in the book - the church is portrayed as a bad thing, but there is no good portrayed either. Everyone hates each other or is cheating on someone else which might have worked for a little while but surely a novel should form some order out of such chaos? The geography is shallow (a shock from the author of Chocolat): the whole world appears to consist of a big city which we never see and a valley with a couple of villages in it. Runes and magic were overplayed to the point that every character can use them (even a pig!). Surely magic is something special - if everyone has it what is the point of including it at all? I never thought I would consider not bothering to finish a Joanne Harris novel, but I did consider this even in the last twenty pages.

Norse god go forth! (3/3 people found this helpful)

This is Joanne Harris's first novel for young adults. Its the story of maddy Smith a fourteen year old girl who lives in the distant future in a world entirely different to ours. Maddie is born with a mysterious rune mark on her hand which in her world is considered a very bad omen.
The novel which is quite long for a childrens novel relates Maddie's adventures as she crosses over into the different worlds. On her journey she encounters many colourful characters including norse gods. No-one is quite who they appear to be and who actually can Maddie really trust! There are lots of twists along the way. Joanne Harris in this book demonstates her ability as a storyteller. Although i did feel that she did not explore the character of Maddy strongly enough that said a very readable story.

Could be better (0/2 people found this helpful)

The idea for this book is amazing, and like all good books, things that happen early on are later explained when they fit into the story better. The actual story is captivating but can be a little confusing. The structure tends to suddenly change to someone elses point of view, so if you come back to the book after an hour you may have to read the page before the one you stopped at. It is good, but a little confusing sometimes.

An enjoyable read (1/2 people found this helpful)

I did enjoy this book but found myself getting a bit lost at times. I frequently had to refer back to the first few pages where it outlines the characters. I have read other books by this author and am aware that this is the first time she has attempted a fantasy novel. I usually read a book quite quickly but this took me a couple of weeks to read fully. Overall, I found the book enjoyable and is seems to be left open for the possibility of a sequel? A good read for a few different age groups.

Joanne Harris

Reader Reviews:

Not Terry Pratchett :( (0/0 people found this helpful)

Thought it would have been better (0/0 people found this helpful)

Norse god go forth! (3/3 people found this helpful)

Could be better (0/2 people found this helpful)

An enjoyable read (1/2 people found this helpful)

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