I think it’s fantastic, just as most of Frances Hardinge’s books are. And yes, as long as she keeps writing, I’ll remain her faithful reader. I had a REALLY strong horror vibe in the first part of this book. Great atmosphere, vivid emotional impact, and I felt like I had no control. Beautiful. Hardinge is really great at this. :) My favourite part of the book was when the main character becomes bonded to the ghost of the bear and they become friends. I loved Makepeace. Especially since she lost it every time someone was cruel to an animal. I don’t care which century we’re talking about, it’s wrong. It was interesting to see her navigating life alone with her mother, then life completely alone, the life with Bear, followed by life amongst her ancestors, life amongst ghosts, eventually life as a spy ... all while trying to figure out where to go, what to do and who to be …

Engrossing Non-Scary Books With Ghosts As Main Characters Engrossing Non-Scary Books With Ghosts As Main Characters

The Best Most Epic Fantasy Series of All Times on 5 Reasons That Make Discworld one of the Best Fantasy Series Ever However, the moment we think of a book featuring ghosts, we think of horror, spooky paranormal mysteries or at least something eerie, not for the faint-hearted. So here we are, with a new release, fresh off the presses, straight into my greedy hands. And just like every one of her books before this, I was transported into a world of wonders. Haunted is a fast-paced thriller and not exactly a goody-goody book. The protagonist herself is a demon and not your typical hero. Moreover, the characters, while not all being likeable, were vivid and fascinating and I imagine that isn’t too easy considering that many characters were made up of up to seven others!urn:oclc:record:1005861558 Foldoutcount 0 Identifier skinfulofshadows0000hard Identifier-ark ark:/13960/t6842v139 Invoice 1652 Isbn 9781419725722 The writing is minimalistic enough that it can be easily digested by any level of reader from middle grade and up - and yet it is masterfully crafted and full of beauty that will also appeal to adults who have an appreciation for imaginative stories. This is only my second novel by Frances Hardinge, but I already feel confident in saying this is not a fluke. She is one of the most creative storytellers I’ve ever read, with a clear talent for crafting strong and evocative narratives whose depth of emotion will stun you. A Skinful of Shadows has firmly placed her on my must-read authors list, and I can’t wait to see what she’ll write next. Hardinge does not recycle her settings and ideas. In every book she creates something new, unique and complex, with solid internal rules and consistency, fleshed-out so well that these worlds feel alive and real. She does not fall prey to tropes and always takes her stories somewhere you wouldn’t be able to predict from the get-go. We are given an intriguing balancing act of well-researched historical detail surrounding the English civil war and a whimsical, sometimes dark, ghost story. It was such an earthy, autumnal read and getting to experience this book while the leaves were falling outside my window was so incredibly cozy and nostalgic.

A Skinful of Shadows - Frances Hardinge A Skinful of Shadows - Frances Hardinge

Her first rescue, to which she becomes host, is a mistreated circus bear. Makepeace discovers just how difficult it is to trust people, a good life lesson. This becomes more and more important as she wanders through the countryside searching for safety. I really enjoyed the book because it was not something I was used to reading about. My favourite character in the book is Makepeace as she is very independent and she figures things out using little things around her. She is also very clever, even though she doesn't know how to read, Makepeace is a very creative person and most of the things she solves in the story can be related in real life situations. I thought some of the history in the book was realistic but, most of it wasn't since it is fantasy. Considering the fact that it was set a long time ago, certain people might have actually believed that ghosts entering people's body can actually happen. The book was very interesting and because I already read a book by the author I wanted to read it to see how good the book was. I just wanted to say the book is really weird in a good way but, it's very creative and I loved it. and has been updated for deeper learning with additional tasks for character analysis, literary motifs, themes, and extracts from the text.This book is about loyalty and friendship and the bond between siblings. It is about fighting the past and moving forward with new hopes and dreams. It is about a girl who has lost everything but gained so much more. So, I want you to read this book if; Rose Marshall was killed in 1952 by a man who sold his soul to live forever. Rose’s death was suppose to be the price for his immortality. The story of the 'bear hearted girl' is a thrilling tale involving ghosts, family and betrayal. Makepeace is a girl who doesn't know her real name or even her father. When troubling dreams disturb Makepeace's sleep her mother sends her to a graveyard and this is how the story starts. I believe that the book is very enjoyable. However it contains little historical references which I see as a let down as 'A Skinful of Shadows' has been entered in a history competition. The book can be slightly confusing at the beginning, but you slowly start to feel for the book and its characters. Although the book focuses on a strange, confusing theme the book is definitely worth reading and opens your mind to how we treat animals and each other. In light of this I think that Frances Hardinge has created a beautiful book that should definitely be read and cherished. The magic system in this book was new to me. Makepeace’s rebellion against Fellmote is quite inspiring. She takes some great decision many times but at others her naïve and honest self puts her in dangerous situation. It was a remarkable journey of a girl who wanted to be loved but got herself tangled in the power struggle of Fellmotte family and then later on English civil war. Also, I loved how Makepeace’s transition from a timid girl to a clever girl. I was worried for her survival but the author made her change flawless. It was not sudden but gradual hence so believable.

A Skinful of Shadows by Frances Hardinge | Goodreads

Things are going quite well for Eve since her death. There is nothing to complain and all she now wants is to be able to communicate with her daughter once again. At the 2015 Costa Book of the Year Awards she won the children’s book of the year award as well the overall prize for her novel The Lie Tree. Ingeniously infusing a Victorian era crime murder mystery with fantasy elements, its teenage heroine Faith finds herself also grappling with the Darwinian struggle between science and religion. A Skinful of Shadows was published in 2017.Das Buch war sehr spannend, die Idee der Geister interessant und auf jeden Fall was anderes, als was ich erwartet hatte. Im Großen und Ganzen hat es mir sehr viel Spaß gemacht! Wer eine etwas düstere Fantasy YA Geschichte lesen will, ist hier genau richtig. If someone throws aside their pride and begs with all their heart, and if they do so in vain, then they are never quite the same person afterwards. Something in them dies, and something else comes to life. Afterwards, it was as if some understanding of the world had sunk into Makepeace's soul like winter dew. She knew that she would never feel safe or loved as she had before. And she knew that she would never, ever, beg that way again. Makepeace, a courageous girl with a mysterious past, defends herself nightly from the ghosts which try to possess her. Then a dreadful event causes her to drop her guard for a moment. Twelve-year-old Makepeace has learned to defend herself from the ghosts which try to possess her in the night, desperate for refuge, but one day a dreadful event causes her to drop her guard. In that way, I appreciate the story, but can’t say that I loved it. I appreciate the message of success, and I was intrigued by the voices in Makepeace's head, but it was too dark and grim for me. Fly by Night was far preferable in terms of mood and humor, although I can see many of the thematic seeds that grew into a nettle-patch here.