This review is probably going to be a bit lacking because I thought I was being clever by reading this book about the days in between Christmas and New Year in the days between Christmas and New Year.But well… I wasn’t.Thanks to eating, drinking, generally being merry and trying to decide how it was possible for Robert Sheehan to still look fit as a Borrower, I read about a chapter a day. So unfortunatley I didn’t get into this book as well as I thought I would and I don’t really have many notes on it.But let’s see what I can come up with, shall we? “This interlude was a strange and quiet time, a time somehow outside the rest of the year, outside time itself. It was as if the rest of the year were alive, but these days were dead.”Initial Final Page Thoughts.Eh… the ending was a bit of an anti-climax. High Points.The setting. In my mind The City was Edinburgh and I love Edinburgh. It’s my second favourite UK city. I just love everything about it; the castle, the history, the cobbles, the cafes, the culture.Also it has a Camera Obscura like in this book. Coincidence? I think not. And the bit where Boy and Co were in the underground city really reminded me of Mary King’s Close.And I pictured the part in the graveyard as the Covenanters' Prison in Greyfriars! Sigh. I need to go back to Edinburgh soon. Anyway….Boy. Willow. Vaudeville. Theatre. Magicians. Fairyland. Baby dragons. Electricity. Camera Osbcura. Fate. Midnight. Tombstones. Grave robbers. Underground canals. Low Points.That ending really fell flat. After about 200 pages of fantastic build-up, the finale ended up being one page. It was far too sudden for my liking and, to be honest, it didn’t really make sense to me. Also I wanted to know more about these baby dragons….and the Phantom that is mentioned once who EATS PEOPLE. Characters.Hey Boy, guess what? We have the same birthday. Well.... kind of, because you don’t really have a birthday but I was born on the same day that you fell in the church. That makes us special and friends who go on adventures.Willow can come too because she’s a little sweetheart. I’m being quiet about t’other characters because of spoilers. But about these dragons… Theme Tune.Happy New Year by Camera ObscuraOK so this song has nothing to do with this book.BUT… it’s called Happy New Year. Y’know?Also, Camera Obscura are from Glasgow which is in Scotland and so is….. Edinburgh!BOOM.OK, I admit I drew a blank with a song for this book but I love this song so whatever. Recommended For.People who have ever thought there was something a bit off about the days in between Christmas and New Year. People who always wish their school had taught them Latin. People who believe in magic. People who have ever wondered what it would be like to explore under the cobbled streets of a city. People who have ever picked up an unsuspecting person off the Royal Mile at Camera Obscura and felt oddly powerful (Extra points if it's the guy who is dressed as William Wallace!). People who have posed awkwardly with the Greyfriars Bobby statue. People who got the rat thrown at them in the dark when they visited Mary King’s Close. That's happened to me twice now. I'm sure they see me coming...You can read this review and lots of other fun things on my blog here.
I first read The Book of Dead Days about five years ago while working in my high school's library. Years later, I recalled vaguely an idea of a book about a boy called only Boy and the magician he worked for, Valerian. That was enough the quickly find the book and decide to reread it. I remembered greatly enjoying the book, especially the character Valerian. I might have loved the book entirely just for Valerian.I wasn't as fond of The Book of Dead Days this time around. It was an enjoyable and quick read, but just fell a little flat. I still love Valerian as much as before--as he develops and becomes more desperate and terrible, my love for him grew. Boy is likable enough, though he starts off a little bland. Willow was my main problem, and not really Willow herself but her role.Willow is certainly more clever and driven than Boy. Many questions would go unanswered, perhaps even unasked, if not for her. But why does she stick with Valerian and Boy? Because she had nowhere else to go, yes, but we are also fed the idea that she has romantic feelings towards Boy. This bothered me greatly because as hard I looked, I could not determine any reason why she should have fallen for him, certainly Boy seemed hardly aware of her. I liked Willow, but I greatly wish that if she had to be in love with Boy to help him that we could have seen some show of where this love developed from.Characters aside, the setting and done are handled well. A good picture of the city and the house Boy and Valerian live in painted for the readers and its easy to imagine the world they live in. The tone of the book is thoroughly dark and hopeless throughout. It's s dreary read and fits well with the few days it is set during.All in all, it was an enjoyable read for how short it is. There are a number of unanswered questions since this is the first book of a duology, but I feel the book could have stood to answer a few more considering so many new questions are brought up in the last of the book. I'm not exactly hype for the next book, but I'm curious about the answers Boy will find and hopeful that perhaps there's more to be learner about Valerian.
What do You think about The Book Of Dead Days (2006)?
I liked this book. The setting and characters were all interesting and the storyline was absorbing. I did get a little confused about Boy's age though, when I found out he was a teenager I was surprised. The way he acted and was described earlier had me thinking he was at oldest 12 years old. My favorite character was the enigmatic, selfish and terrible Valerian. One thing that I would have enjoyed from the book that was not given was more explanation about the magic Valerian performs. I wish in general there was more about Valerian who in my opinion was the most interesting character in the book and would have made a much better subject/main character than Boy, who although born in mysterious circumstances seems dull in comparison. It was an interesting choice to focus on Boy and Willow who had no knowledge of the magical or alchemical world and have Valerian and Kepler as the experts kept at the fringe of the narrative, both with unknown motives and methods. I would give credit to whomever did the cover art for the book, though, which is the real reason why I picked this book up (and it's sequel).
—Hollowspine
OK I have to be honest with myself on this review. I do not like Marcus Sedgwick's writing. I tried reading another one of his novels (She is not invisible) and I did not like but I still wanted to give this one a try. I don't think it was worth it. For instance, the world building was a little poor. I found myself in the middle of the book not even knowing how the City was set up or what kind of people lived in it. I didn't know if this was pure fantasy or of there was a hint of post-apocalyptic world in it. I started to get interested in Boy. I thought he was a well-drawn character but he disappointed me. There were some chances in which he seemed like a loyal servant and some other when he hated Valerian's guts. He wasn't stable. I also didn't know if he had a disability or the age range. Valerian and Willow were just really poorly developed. I found myself loving Valerian's wit sometimes but then he would just have multiple personality swings that just left me hanging. I think the thing that I do not like about Sedgwick's writing is the pace. Yes, he describes the situations thoroughly but I just think everything moved too fast. However I wanted to like this book and prove myself wrong about Sedgwick, I am afraid I couldn't do it. This novel is more for a fantasy-lover that likes fast-paced adventure, not someone who expects at least a well-drawn book.
—Sara Espinosa
I've been meaning to read this book at the proper time of the year--the "dead days" between Christmas and New Year's--for several years and finally managed it. It's the story of Boy, an orphan of unknown origin who serves Valerian, a Faustian magician with a shady past that's about to catch up with him. I was so intrigued by these characters and settings, but was disappointed by the "to be continued" ending that left so many questions unanswered. Does every YA book have to turn into a trilogy or series? Even when they do, each book should still stand on its own.
—Kathryn
