This is the latest YA novel by this very prolific Australian author. Despite the title (I do try to avoid books that use two letters where one will do - although to be fair to Ms Carmody, there's plenty of Starrs in the phone book), this is a very enjoyable fantasy book. Alyzon Whitestarr is the quiet younger child in a brightly eccentric family - her father is a musician, and her mother a nocturnal artist. An accident awakes certain abilities within Alyzon. She can smell people's feelings - the ammonia of her father's anxiety, and the aniseed of her sister's depression. As her control over these extended senses increase, she becomes aware of a terrible darkness that she must fight against.
It's certainly aimed at teenagers, and this is apparent in the writing. It's a fun read - a mystery/thriller, the narrative spiralling to an exciting conclusion. There are several all-too-neat coincidences, a few cardboard characters, and a touching love story - a 3 out of 5 story, with some gorgeously evocative description of Alyzon's sensory abilities.
33 comments:
I believe tha tis where your wrong.
I love the book - I'd give it a 4.5 out of 5.
Im 21 years old and adore the structure of this novel.
The controversy of it all represents what is happening (the corruption) in the world today.
I'll admit it is a female aimed book though - that's is why i found it good.
hi i am 14 and have started reading the book for an english assiment i am up to chapter 23 and it is a good excting book with mystery and fanticy and a fasinating structure so far i love the book and can not put it down.
it is a great book even for people that dont read much they will find it very interesting
IM fifteen yrs old and i was drawn to this book by its cover =P when i read the blurb, the fantasy part caught my attention. As i started reading, i was a little put off by the modern day setting but as i read on, i found out that Isobelle Carmondy had incorporated together Fantasy perfectly into the time setting.
I am 14 years old and the book Alyzon Whitestarr really enchanted me. I loved all the fantasy and mystery in the book, it really made the novel interesting. I found the Whitestarr family really warming and funny, and Alyzon's friends are so unique and memorable.
I found I couldn't put the book down, Alyzon is such a good narrator for the story that she keeps it exciting and realistic.
i love this book!!! I couldn't put it down! I am 14 and I am amazed at how beautifully Isobelle Carmondy has crafted this amazing story... I especially love the romance but that is just me. Is there a sequal because a few things need to be cleared up. It is left on a very uncertain note so i'm not sure.... anyway, its a wonderful book!!! 4.9/5
i am 22 year old, and found this book fascinating, intriguing, thought-provoking, and most of all inspiring. I found this book in the teenage section, but clearly can also be aimed at older audiences. The amazing ability Isobelle Carmody has in writing this novel is astounding. I love that, using fantasy, Isobelle Carmody uses things that are very real and present in our world today. If only we opened our eyes and heart, and stopped to look, we would see what is happening. I'd give this a 5 out of 5. My new favourite book by my favourite author!
i really liked this book i loved the way it unfolded, its length and its charecters. I didn't think any of the charecters were cliche or cardboard i give it 4.5 out of 5. it rocked.
I had read Carmody's Obernewtyn series about 5 years back and thought it was great so I was looking forward to this one. Actually I was disappointed with it. It's not her best work. 6/10.
OMG IM A MAJOR ISOBELLE CARMODY FAN. AND BASS MOST OF THE STORYS I TELL MY SIBLINGS AROUND HER NOVELS. ALYZON WHITESTARR IS A FAVORITE AND I HAVE READ IT MULTIPLE TIMES I NORMALY GOT THROUGH IT IN ABOUT A DAY!! YOU JUST CANT PUT IT DOWN
I am 13 and am currently doing an aurthor search on Isobelle Carmody for school. i am not normally a fan of Fantasy but i loved this book! i actually only finished the book 2 days ago so it is still fresh in my mind. I love the chracter of Alyzon and Harlan Sandersaon is a perfect creepy misonderstood vilan type! i give this book 8 and a half stars out of ten!
Hi, I am 11 and I Loved this book... I couldn't put it down this is certainly a favourite, it combines fantasy and the world we live in today! I love Isobelle Carmondy's work! I would definetly give this book 5-5!!!
i am 17 years old and have just finished this book. i found it absolutly wicked. i couldn't put it down. Does any one know if there is a next book to this one?
heya, na i dont think there's a sequel. but don't quote me on it. na, i adore ISobelle carmody and adventure/romance novels that invite,corrupt and pose mad thoughts.
oh my. i'm 16 and i adore this book.
it swallowed me up the first time, i love the way its written and the characters are amazing.
for once the perfect guy at school isn't so perfect.
:3 i adore harrison, honestly.
4.9999999999.5 :D
I'm twelve, and I love this book to pieces! The writing/storyline/characters/everything about it is just too good, really. But I think the ending could have gone on a bit longer - 4.5/5.
I loved this book. I read it when I was 10, I'm 13 now and I still love it. I love the way she put her thoughts in this book, makes you really see the characters. I have to do a book report on it now, and I'm not sure if my teacher would like me reading it (only because of the swearing and porn bits) but meh. If anyone knows what the theme or the setting was, please tell me, it would help heaps!!
What a glorious book. I picked it up in order to give my mind a break from heavy literature with some teen fiction, but instead came acoss something so powerful it moved me to tears. Some ridiculously brilliant philosophies laced this beautifully written novel, along with the well constructed characters and super wicked romance! This should become compulsory for all philosophy students to read!
Hello, I'm fourteen and I really enjoyed this book. I got it from the libary not knowing what to expect and was pleasantly suprised at how much I enjoyed it. I didn't want to stop reading, even when it ended I wanted more. I highly reccomend this book.
Hi, I'm 16 and I read this book last year. I'm reading it again now and I really love it. Isobelle Carmody did a wonderful job of entwining an intruiging and fascinating idea into a sweet, suspenseful and entrancing story.
She uses the fact that people love the idea of such in depth perception of other people and incorporates fantasic and realistic relationships. I also adored her characters and the wonderfully in depth philospical conversations and theories within this book.
I'd probably give it a 4.
hello, im 12 and i loved this book! i drewq me in and i spent my entire saturday just lying in bed and reading till 9 pm! it wuz fantastic, but i was soo suprised to find out this wuz supposed to be set in Africa! meh.
i loved the romance espcially :)
i loved all the bits with Harlen in it, i wuz addicted to his sleaziness!
xoxo
hi i am 13
and this book was totally enchanting
i am doing it for an english assignment
the story is soo unsusual and that is what makes it truly one in a million
i love all of isobelle carmody's books
Hi, I am 11 and I absoloutley loved this book! I stayed up until one oclock in the morning to finish it ! I absoloutley loved Harrison, Alyzon, Gilly, Sarry and Raoul They are all so cool! The ending was a bit unfinished, though. I hope to god she will write a sequel!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Anyway, I wish I had extra senses!
OH MY GOD I LOVE THIS BOOK! IM 12 AND I GIVE IT 6 OUT OF 5!HA!
I'm thirteen, I absolutely loved the book! Harrison is the bomb! He was so cool, and Alyzon annoyed me at times, so he could've done better, but still it's an amazing book! 4.9/5
!!!!!!SPOILER ALERT!!!!!!
heyy 15 here, and i love LOVE LOVE this book! i am unclear on 1 thing though... at the end, did she get the senses back or what? help much appreciated!
5/5 review
<3~<3
To be honest I haven't even read this book yet.
I plan on getting it this Wednesday.
Coming from a true Isobelle Carmody fan I think this will turn out great, considering how well her Obernewtyn books were:)
I am sixteen, I love this book, I've read it four times and i truly love Isobelle Carmody! the ideas that are so cleverly incorporated into this intriguing plot are so well placed to make readers think differently about the world and about music. This book completely changed my taste in music for heavy metal to meaningful and thought provoking. i give it at least a 4.5.
I really love this book. The plot's really fascinating and quite scary to me at times - the disease is so creepy!!!
I didn't really find any of the characters cardboard, I was interested in them all. I'll admit that there were some very very very lucky coincidences, though, and a couple of things I would like to know more about. Do I smell (no pun intended) a sequel?
Well, I couldn't put it down, so it gets a 5/5 from me :)
I really enjoyed this book. I have read it a couple of times, and every time I read it again I always seem to find a new meaning or gain a deeper understanding. I loved the description of people's essences and the story did reflect today 'discontent' society, but I found myself believing there would be a sequal, especially with that ending.
Overall a good read, although so time consuming!
In principle, a good happen, support the views of the author
im 15 and i first read this book 2 years ago since then i have read it 3 times and i love it. i've mark all the pages where there is some meaning to it (for me) its wonderfully philosophical and a good read for al :)
I absolutely adored this book when reading it at age 14. Now at 16, I am still absolutely thrilled at the thought of reading this unique, beautifully-written masterpeice. I love it!
I read this book just last week for the first time. I'm 13 years old, and I must say that I love it! It is by far the best book I have ever read!
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