Echo North

De: Joanna Ruth Meyer

Narrado por: Elizabeth Evans

Echo Alkaev's safe and carefully structured world falls apart when her father leaves for the city and mysteriously disappears. Believing he is lost forever, Echo is shocked to find him half-frozen in the winter forest six months later, guarded by a strange talking wolf - the same creature who attacked her as a child. The wolf presents Echo with an ultimatum: if she lives with him for one year, he will ensure her father makes it home safely. But there is more to the wolf than Echo realizes.

In his enchanted house beneath a mountain, each room must be sewn together to keep the home from unraveling, and something new and dark and strange lies behind every door. When centuries-old secrets unfold, Echo discovers a magical library full of books-turned-mirrors, and a young man named Hal who is trapped inside of them. As the year ticks by, the rooms begin to disappear and Echo must solve the mystery of the wolf's enchantment before her time is up - otherwise Echo, the wolf, and Hal will be lost forever.

©2019 Joanna Ruth Meyer (P)2019 Tantor

Reseñas de la Crítica

"Epic and engrossing. Magic pulsates through every page.... Readers will ache when it's over and want to start all over again. A lush, captivating new twist on beloved fairy tales.” (Kirkus, starred review)

It could have been a great book but so disappointing

Beautiful prose, some really cool magic and use of different folklore but ultimately a contradicting and messy plot. Plot holes and unanswered questions. Objects that imply special meaning but never pay off or are explained. The hero should not be forgiven. He never learns his lesson. He is selfish the entire time, he just learned to be emo and tortured about it. There was so much good about this book. It just needs pruning, continuity and a clear message that is not to forgive the guy that repeatedly and knowingly manipulates and hurts you for love.

good but a bit too long

The story was good, I liked the world/character building. It was a bit too long though, I ended up skipping a couple of chapters, but didn't get lost. I liked Howl.

Well done storytelling!

I definitely enjoyed this one from Joanna, it feels like a genuine fairy tail story! The characters were very well done, great world building and an interesting plot. Definitely recommended for anyone that likes fairy tales and especially Uprooted by Naomi Novik.

Mmm...

Too much nonsensical magic for my taste. So sad because I really wanted to like this book.

Twists & Turns

The story was wonderful. Engaging from page 1. I will listen/read more by this author.

Ending has technical difficulties

I enjoyed the story. As always Elizabeth Evans narration is fabulous!
At the end the book keeps turning itself off and on, over and over. Hopefully it can be repaired.
I need more books narrated by ELIZABETH EVANS.

A Russian-Inspired Howl’s Moving Castle

I love this world!

Meyer clearly has a deft grasp of fairytale whimsy and its whacky possibilities, yet somehow it never dissociated me from the characters, except that it probably surpassed them.

The characters are certainly functional, but they are a bit one-note and melodramatic. Especially, I’m sorry, it took most of the novel for the central romance to become much more to me than a very sensuous, teen crush.

Both the characters and the plot do get more involved, but with all the major plot reveals, in the end it’s usually more muddled and sometimes less interesting than the simple premise.

Those middle two quarters of the book are an absolute blast, and even the ending continues to be seriously atmospheric. Evan’s especially shines there, pulling together multiple female voices that instantly show their separate stories .

This book is fairly messy, but it’s fairy tale messy, and I could easily see it being adapted into an animated series with me at the front of the line!

CONTENT ADVISORY
-Lots of bloody injuries and sequences of supernatural torture. Several illusory characters are killed.
-A few uses of “d*mn” and God’s name in vain.
-Lots of sensuous language about hugging and kissing.
-A sentient wolf sleeps in bed each night next to a woman to stay warm, and (SPOILER) is revealed to turn into human form at night, but they only briefly even touch once.

Great story

This was a really good and different story. I enjoyed it. As always Elizabeth Evans did a wonderful job. She is by far my favorite narrator!

If you’re looking for a fantasy CLEAN read THIS IS IT

The Performance is stellar (the vocalist/reader is my favorite and I immensely enjoy hearing her bc I can Focus on the STORY not just on the voice)
Excellent story
Classic fairytale vibes
Sweet romance
A twist at the end I had not figured out
Awesome for a young reader (who doesn’t wanna run into “uncomfy” romance scenes)

But excellent also for those like myself in their twenties who love a good story.

I couldn’t

I couldn’t get past the gag-me-with-a-spoon evil step mother. I kept hoping for the wolf but it’s coming would be too late to save me.