Sunday, May 22, 2016

New Review! Flying Blind by Caroline A. Gill, 3.5 to 4 Cranky Stars

Synopsis: In a broken America, seventeen-year-old Iolani Bearse encounters a world full of wonder and danger. Lani discovers a secret: houseflies have magic. Stealers have no mercy. Armed with memory-draining lanterns, the stone-cold hunters relentlessly follow catastrophes, laying traps, preying on the weak. Together with her father, Eleanor, Sam, and Mango, her beloved pinto mare, Lani rescues victims from the grasp of Memory Stealers. One by one, she saves whomever she can, looking for any path that leads to safety. When her family's farmhouse is attacked, Lani must act quickly to save those she loves. Will Lani unmask their powerful, hidden enemies before the flies' magic fails and everything burns to ashes? When the loss of one of her greatest friends becomes her downfall, can Lani overcome the evil tearing her world apart, Flying Blind? Flying Blind (The Flykeeper Chronicles Book 2)Flying Blind by Caroline Gill
My rating: 3 of 5 stars




*** 3.5 to 4 Cranky Stars ***

I described “Flying Away” as wonderfully strange and meant it in the best possible way.



Flying Blind picks up where Flying Away left off where Gill uses her wonderful style of writing. Her trademark prose is reminiscent of Lewis Carroll’s Mad Hatter-style of high fantasy and the imagery it evokes is great.



This story is told in multiple points of view, but Iolani (Lani), our heroine from Flying Away is the anchor. Her powers have grown and so have her enemies. Some friends and allies may, in fact, not be as they appear.



The introduction of some of the secondary characters gave a chance for the author’s wit and humor to shine among the tension. They were both lovable and irritating, but provided some great comedic relief.



It was also a nice touch to see senior citizens portrayed as heroes and rich characters, rather than expendables to the youthful characters.




There’s some heartbreak, heartache, and some notable absences in Flying Blind. Some threads are left hanging from the first and second book, which will need resolution in the grand finale.



Caroline A. Gill has an enormous amount of talent. I love her writing style and vivid imagination. Where some attention needs to be devoted, however, is to the overarching plot.



There is a roving aspect to the writing, which I don’t mind, but the plot seems almost ad hoc in some places. This book would have benefitted from sticking to its core premise and driving it home.



All in all, I recommend Ms. Gill’s work and hope people pick it up. It is strange and unique, compelling and otherworldly.




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