Tempest and Tally Jo Trimble are mirror twins—so alike they were
almost born the same person—and they've been inseparable since birth.
But it's the summer they turn thirteen, and it seems like everyone can
tell something is changing between them.
Pa Charlie, whose traveling carnival is the best part of every summer, is watching them closer than ever. Digger, who sneaks poor kids onto the carnival rides for free and smiles faster than anyone, seems to be fixing for a fight. Even Mama is acting different, refusing to travel with the carnival this year even though her own twin, who she hasn't seen since childhood, will be there.
And Tally and Tempest are the most different of all. There's a strangeness between them, a thickness to the air, an unseen push and pull, and it's getting stronger. It starts as a feeling, but soon it's sputtering and sparking, hurling them backwards, threatening to explode.
When Tally learns that she and Tempest may not be the first twins in their family to be separated by whatever this force is, she realizes she'll have to find a way to stop it—or she might lose not only her sister, but everyone she loves.
**ARC provided by Thomas Allen & Son for my honest review**
Pa Charlie, whose traveling carnival is the best part of every summer, is watching them closer than ever. Digger, who sneaks poor kids onto the carnival rides for free and smiles faster than anyone, seems to be fixing for a fight. Even Mama is acting different, refusing to travel with the carnival this year even though her own twin, who she hasn't seen since childhood, will be there.
And Tally and Tempest are the most different of all. There's a strangeness between them, a thickness to the air, an unseen push and pull, and it's getting stronger. It starts as a feeling, but soon it's sputtering and sparking, hurling them backwards, threatening to explode.
When Tally learns that she and Tempest may not be the first twins in their family to be separated by whatever this force is, she realizes she'll have to find a way to stop it—or she might lose not only her sister, but everyone she loves.
**ARC provided by Thomas Allen & Son for my honest review**
Hi everyone,
Today I'll be reviewing Flower Moon; this book was one of a kind and was a style of book I haven't read in a long time.
Magical realism is a genre I personally love to watch movies and TV wise, and while I tend to read very little of the genre, I'm wondering if that's in part to the genre not really being that popular with authors and what they chose to write.
Flower Moon introduces us to Tally and Tempest, two sisters - twins, who are inseparable. I will say right off from the first page, I LOVED how close the sisters were. I'm practically the same with my own sister and it's always nice reading a story that involves close sibling bonds (I feel like a lot of sibling relationships in YA/ middle grade tend to involve sibling rivalry, so it was a nice change), that show siblings in a positive light. Tally is the protector of the two, making sure Tempest is taken care of, as she is the more shy out of the two (which is basically my sister and I, with the exception that I was the more shy out of us two).
The story is told from Tally's perspective and I think this brought an interesting spin on the story: as Tally is the more adventurous one out of the sisters, we see the world through her eyes. I think if the story had been from Tempest's perspective things would have been much different. Tally was abrasive, more in-your-face, and I think the plot reflected that. It's almost as if it mirrored growing up. The story would have been more calm and passive from Tempest's point of view.
It was nice to see the two sisters work together when they begin to discover the mystery behind themselves and their connection (even if I found Tally a bit over the top at times). The writing was so fluid and the dialogue between the sisters was wonderful.
Who doesn't love a carnival?! This was basically the best setting of a book, at a magical carnival, full of fun and never-ending possibilities. This also sets up the perfect setting for a coming-of-age book; as growing up really is a never-ending adventure. I really had a full carnival playing in my head as I read this and the descriptions of the carnival were so well written I was definitely transported there.
One downside to the book is to me I felt the setting took place in the past; the dialogue and setting felt more like from the 1940s, however, there were times when it all felt like present day and it wouldn't match up for me, so it became a bit confusing. Maybe it's because I'm imagining all the traditional carnivals from say The Notebook, and I could imagine all the characters dressed in clothing from that period. Pa Charlie's name had me feeling a bit of a Little House on the Prairie vibe.
My other downside was the first half of the book felt a bit slow. I understand the idea behind mirror twins was being set up and we were introduced to this non-traditional magical world, but at times I felt as if I could skip whole chapters and not have missed any of the plot. I hate when promising books have what I call "filler" chapters.
I haven't read a book by Gina Linko before, but I'll be giving her future books a look. Flower Moon was so different from what I've normally read that that on it's own gives it a solid 3.5 stars. I recommend this one to anyone looking for a book out of their comfort zone; I can guarantee you haven't read something like this before!
Until my next review,
Stefanie
The story is told from Tally's perspective and I think this brought an interesting spin on the story: as Tally is the more adventurous one out of the sisters, we see the world through her eyes. I think if the story had been from Tempest's perspective things would have been much different. Tally was abrasive, more in-your-face, and I think the plot reflected that. It's almost as if it mirrored growing up. The story would have been more calm and passive from Tempest's point of view.
It was nice to see the two sisters work together when they begin to discover the mystery behind themselves and their connection (even if I found Tally a bit over the top at times). The writing was so fluid and the dialogue between the sisters was wonderful.
Who doesn't love a carnival?! This was basically the best setting of a book, at a magical carnival, full of fun and never-ending possibilities. This also sets up the perfect setting for a coming-of-age book; as growing up really is a never-ending adventure. I really had a full carnival playing in my head as I read this and the descriptions of the carnival were so well written I was definitely transported there.
One downside to the book is to me I felt the setting took place in the past; the dialogue and setting felt more like from the 1940s, however, there were times when it all felt like present day and it wouldn't match up for me, so it became a bit confusing. Maybe it's because I'm imagining all the traditional carnivals from say The Notebook, and I could imagine all the characters dressed in clothing from that period. Pa Charlie's name had me feeling a bit of a Little House on the Prairie vibe.
My other downside was the first half of the book felt a bit slow. I understand the idea behind mirror twins was being set up and we were introduced to this non-traditional magical world, but at times I felt as if I could skip whole chapters and not have missed any of the plot. I hate when promising books have what I call "filler" chapters.
I haven't read a book by Gina Linko before, but I'll be giving her future books a look. Flower Moon was so different from what I've normally read that that on it's own gives it a solid 3.5 stars. I recommend this one to anyone looking for a book out of their comfort zone; I can guarantee you haven't read something like this before!
Until my next review,
Stefanie
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