Author: Linda Buckley-Archer
Series: Stand Alone
Published By: Simon & Schuster For Young Readers(October 20, 2015)
Source: ARC Copy Provided by the Publisher (in exchange for an honest review)
Genre: YA Historical/Fantasy
My Rating: 2.5-3 Stars
Book Description:
An English teen questions all she knows about aging when she encounters a set of journals that date from the present back to the reign of King Louis XIV in this blend of contemporary and historical fiction from the author of the acclaimed Gideon trilogy.
Stella Park (Spark for short) has found summer work cataloging historical archives in John Stone’s remote and beautiful house in Suffolk, England. She wasn’t quite sure what to expect, and her uncertainty about living at Stowney House only increases upon arriving: what kind of people live in the twenty-first century without using electricity, telephones, or even a washing machine? Additionally, the notebooks she’s organizing span centuries—they begin in the court of Louis XIV in Versailles—but are written in the same hand. Something strange is going on for sure, and Spark’s questions are piling up. Who exactly is John Stone? What connection does he have to these notebooks? And more importantly, why did he hire her in the first place?
The Many Lives of John Stone is an unusual book. Told in multiple dimensions and through two main characters, it is a story unlike any other I have read.
With a very slow start and a writing style truly unique in voice, it took me a bit to get into it but once there, it wasn't hard to read on and want to know the rest of the story.
Sadly this was not a time travel story but rather you traveled back in time through the entries of a diary, and while somewhat disappointed at that, I did enjoy the diary entries.
It was fascinating to learn about court life in France and the history buff in me couldn't help but gravitate towards those entries more than anything else. Especially as the story unfolded and we really got to know who John Stone is.
While sometimes wordy in description, the story did have a unique take on the overall plot of the story and in the end, I did end up enjoying this more than I initially thought I would.
*All thoughts and opinions are my own and were not influenced by the author or publisher. I was not compensated for this review.*
Huh, wow from the blurb it looked like something I would enjoy too I took it as somewhere between Dorian Gray or some kind of immortal. I may give it a try. Thanks for the great review and Happy Friday!!
ReplyDeleteThanks Debbie and you too!
DeleteSucks you didn't enjoy it as much as you wanted. Thank you for your honest review :)
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by and commenting!
DeleteYou are much too kind with your not-so-nice reviews. I wish I can be with mine. Sigh.
ReplyDeleteLOL I don't know about that, I feel pretty harsh sometimes and I think you do just fine. ;)
DeleteBummer. I have a copy of this and if you didn't love it, I don't think I will. I am going to check out some reviews before I decide to shelve it. Thanks for the info.
ReplyDeleteYou never know, you might like it more than I did. It was just super hard to get into and wasn't what I thought it was going to be about at all. Maybe if you aren't expecting time travel you will be okay with it?
DeleteIt does propose an interesting premise, so it's too bad about the slow beginning and so forth... Sometimes, writers are just trying to do too much and end up sabotaging the whole project. Pity...
ReplyDeleteOh, and have a great weekend, Ali :P
DeleteThat is very true and I kind of think that might have happened this time. ;)
DeleteHave a great weekend Ramona!
I don't know, I have had issues with books with really unique voices. Sometimes I can't connect. But it does sound interesting! I may need to check this book out at the library some day. Great review!
ReplyDeleteI know what you mean, sometimes it isn't always a good thing. :)
DeleteOh books like this can be hit or miss with me. Sounds like it mostly works so I may have to give it a go. I do like that it sounds different. Brilly review!
ReplyDeleteThanks Melissa!
DeleteDoesn't sound like the right fit for me. Sorry this didn't work for you much either!
ReplyDelete-Lauren
It happens but thank you!!
DeleteThis book sounds meh. I don't think I'll bother with this one. Looking forward to your next review :)
ReplyDeleteThanks Jazmen!
DeleteThe court life in France does sound interesting. I would have thought it was time travel as well.
ReplyDeleteThat was kind of a bummer that it wasn't.
DeleteI think I would enjoy the journal entries as well! I'm glad you found something to enjoy despite it not being what you anticipated. Thanks for the honest review!!
ReplyDeleteHave a great weekend, Ali :)
Thanks so much Kim and you too!
DeleteI really don't like it when books get too wordy in their descriptions. I loose interest way too fast.
ReplyDeleteYeah I do as well. It makes a long read.
DeleteHave a wonderful weekend Ali!
ReplyDeleteYou too Becca!
DeleteIt isn't time travel? Dammit, that's what it was labeled as on the publisher website and is why I wanted it to read it. Hmmm ... well, it has certainly lost a lot of appeal with me.
ReplyDeleteI know. I have no idea why it was, that was the whole reason I grabbed it in the first place.
DeleteIt's great that it was a part in France, I always books set in France because well it's fun to relate but sorry it wasn't what you expected.
ReplyDeleteThe setting for the entries was fabulous. ;)
DeleteAw man, the blurb sounded really good too. I actually thought some magic stuff would happen that would transport her back in time, lol. Sorry this wasn't what you expected. Great review! :D
ReplyDeleteBlessie @ Mischievous Reads
Thanks Bessie!
DeleteMy mind went straight to an immortal but then I have already read a book similar to this with a diary as the main telling of the story and the man was a vampire.That one was actually good. Sorry this wasn't what you thought it would be!
ReplyDeleteIt's okay, it happens. Thanks Lorna!
DeleteLooks like a nice book, I don´t know maybe this is not my ideal type of book but sounds interesting to read
ReplyDeletexx
www.sakuranko.com
Thanks for stopping by!!
DeleteThis one does sound really unique girl! I love history too BUT it has to be told in a certain way although you said this one was wordy but it doesn't seem like it was too bad? Awesome review as always girl!:)
ReplyDeleteIt was too bad just very slow in some places.
DeleteI'm not sure if this is something I would particularly enjoy - I don't do well with time travel elements. I find them extremely confusing and vexing, especially when the book reads more like a manual. I'm sure there is an audience out there for tropes like this, and I'm glad you hear you enjoyed it at the very least :)
ReplyDeleteThere is no time travel in this so it does have that on it's side. ;)
Deleteoh... well.. that's not too bad, but i can see why it would end up being disappointing a bit, cool cover tho
ReplyDeleteIt does have a fun cover. ;)
DeleteNot for me, I'll probably end up DNFing this book. I struggle with "time" themes and with that slow start? You're a trooper for finishing it though!
ReplyDeleteThanks Braine, ;)
DeleteWhat a jip with the time travel thing.
ReplyDelete:( I know, it sort of felt that way honestly.
DeleteNoooooooo, I was so interested in picking this up! I was digging the historical fiction aspect of it, (because HELLO that's one of my favorites) but I'm not feeling how you only travel back in time via the diary entries. Oh how great it would've been to travel back in time with the characters!
ReplyDeleteI agree which I think was why I was disappointed but who knows, maybe since you know that doesn't happen you will like this more than I did,
DeleteHmmm, the premise sounds interesting enough, but not really "enough" to get my complete attention. The fact that you only get to travel back in time via the diary entries makes it a bit disappointing :( Nevertheless, I may still check it out. 3 stars is still something!
ReplyDeleteFaye at The Social Potato
It wasn't so bad. ;)
DeleteI think wordy may not work for me these days. I've been setting aside books left and right. I like the idea of it though and history is always fascinating to me.
ReplyDelete