Book: The Prince of Mist
Author: Carlos Ruiz Zafon
Published: May 4, 2010
Publisher: Little Brown Books
Obtained: Checked out of library (audio book)
Started: July 15, 2013
Finished: July 19, 2013
Summary (Courtesy of Goodreads):
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7128341-the-prince-of-mist
A mysterious house harbors an unimaginable secret. . . .
It’s wartime, and the Carver family decides to leave the capital where they live and move to a small coastal village where they’ve recently bought a home. But from the minute they cross the threshold, strange things begin to happen. In that mysterious house there still lurks the spirit of Jacob, the previous owners’ son, who died by drowning.
With the help of their new friend Roland, Max and Alicia Carver begin to explore the suspicious circumstances of that death and discover the existence of a mysterious being called The Prince of Mist—a diabolical character who has returned from the shadows to collect on a debt from the past. Soon the three friends find themselves caught up in an adventure of sunken ships and an enchanted stone garden, which will change their lives forever.
Cover: I liked the cover, but it wasn't anything to die for. It wasn't what even attracted me to the book. The title caught my eye while I was browsing for an audio book for BookTube-A-Thon.
Plot: The plot was slow at the beginning. Luckily, since I was listening to the audio book, this wasn't near as painful to have to bear through. The man who voiced the book did an amazing job. This is a short, easy book to read/listen to. I originally thought this book would be about Jacob's ghost, but I was WRONG. It took such a different turn. It was a delightful approach.
The three friends try to unravel a mystery involving a young boy named Jacob who previously lived in Max's and Alicia's house. Jacob drowned when he was very young, and now strange things are happening to Max's family. Harmful things.
Characters: The characters are incredibly brave. There's not much character development as I like, but they do have a little depth. I love Max's and Alicia's relationship as brother and sister. At first Alicia was bratty and princess-ish, but that's because she didn't want to move. She left a lot behind. After she has sometime to adjust, the relationship she has with her brother blooms. As well as her relationship with Roland. They are so sweet together.
Roland is my favorite character. He's strong, caring, and extremely loyal. His parents died when he was a baby, and he lives with his grandfather who runs the lighthouse. His grandfather is a perplexing character as well. He's probably my second favorite. His life has not been an easy one. His tales of the Prince of Mist will make your skin crawl. Speaking of the Prince, he's a frighteningly great villain. On second thought, he might be my favorite. I love a good villain.
Series: This is a stand-alone book.
Rating: 3.8 out of 5 stars.
Next Review: Wake by Lisa McMann
Happy Reading!
VF, xoxo
OMG this book sounds such a scary yet enjoyable read. I really like how it's a standalone.. since there are a lot of series nowadays, a great standalone read is much appreciated (well, for me). The characters all sounds awesome although there wasn't that much a development.. maybe because the story focused more on the mystery? But still, there SHOULD be character developments in all books. I'm looking forward into reading this in the future because I like books that are scary and has mystery.
ReplyDeleteLeigh
Little Book Star
I really did LOVE it. There's a lot more I wanted to say, but I've written so many reviews today my fingers hurt!! lol. The characters are so great to me. I think the main characters (Max, Roland, Alicia, Roland's grandfather, The Prince) they do have some depth for sure! I think that because it's a very short book, it didn't have as much time to go into detail. Though this may just be my opinion. :) This is Carlos' first book that (I believe) he wrote back in 1993 for a contest, and it won. :) It really does focus on the mystery as well. I honestly didn't see that HUGE twist at the end. You definitely should read it. It was FANTASTIC. :)
DeleteVF, xoxo