Laura Koerber

While this book is a sequel to Wild Hare, it works well as a standalone, providing enough details about prior events without retelling the previous story. This story is told from two viewpoints, Amy’s and Bobby’s, and portrays near-future small-town life in a world with more than a hint of dystopia. Secrets abound, and in this town some of them are more secret than others, magic specifically.

I enjoyed the mix of the common and familiar with the hidden paranormal. Amy and Bobby are both great characters and the parts from their respective perspectives are equally compelling. I loved the author’s conceptualization of the nature spirits / fairies and the use and explanation of “fairy time”.

The story entertains while also including perceptive and subtle comments on human nature and societal tendencies. A couple of examples (among many): “People like to see themselves as good and one of the best ways to do that is to see others as bad. Fear is a motivator, especially fear of the unfamiliar…” and “I don’t like it when the female lead is dumb, especially if she’s supposed to be smart. If the author wants readers to believe that a character is smart, then the character should act smart…”

Overall, the book’s engrossing narrative combines with bits of thought-provoking commentary to give readers a lot to ponder well after the tale ends. Wild Hare’s Daughter is an enjoyable and entertaining story that’s also an easy read (not counting a few typos and grammatical issues) — well worth picking up.

(Read September 2022)… (lisätietoja)

Unlike so many action-oriented dystopian stories, this is a somewhat surreal, moody, and introspective tale, with an easy flow to it that’s much like… well… taking a long drive. Told in the first person, the style suits Coyote’s trip, with his unexpected companions for part of the way and encounters with a variety of others who are on their own trips, even if staying still.

I loved the concept of a nature spirit who goes on a road trip searching for meaning and to basically find himself and his place. Coyote Jim is a great character, a shapeshifter that felt much like the Coyote I’ve encountered in some Native American tales and retellings, even though the author states at the beginning that this Coyote “has very little to do with any traditional indigenous conception”.

I love that beauty is mentioned as a necessity of life, along with food, water, and shelter. Throughout the book, there’s beauty found in sometimes the unlikeliest of places. I enjoyed the moments of humor that popped up unexpectedly, like “…trying to impress the display of pop cans with his machismo”, and when talking about badgers: “…they remind me of rototillers.” The detailed descriptions really painted a picture of the various places Coyote visited and people he encountered, for example: “A flock of wind turbines, white as sea gulls, fluttered up the valley…” and “I liked the way her chin and her shoulders asserted themselves…”

The frequent reminders that conditions were bad came across somewhat heavy-handed with the repetition. All the doom and gloom and talk of death became rather dispiriting, although the moments of beauty and humor did help balance that out somewhat.

Overall, this is an enjoyable magical realism story; a quick read that gives readers a lot to think about and something unique, I’d imagine, for each to take away from the tale.

(Read May 2022)… (lisätietoja)

Amy isn’t normal, a quality she believes is inherited from her absentee-biological-father. This wouldn’t be a bad thing, if being considered ‘magical’ wasn’t a bad thing, and the risk of exposure was small... But after a prions break, thought to be the work of a magical militia, Amy realizes she needs answers as her abilities begin to unexpectedly manifest. I liked how the story was written from two perspectives, Amy and Bobby, because of how well-defined their characters were. This dystopian world drew me in from the start, thanks to the vivid descriptions and complex characters, and held my attention throughout.… (lisätietoja)

This book is wonderful on so many levels. You are grabbed from the beginning right into the story of Amy wanting to figure out who her dad is and finding she has magic powers. The story is so well-written. Amy is a teen trying to figure out her life, which isn't easy because she is learning she isn't what she thought she was. She will be on a journey to discover herself with the help of people in her town, her family and her BFF, Petey. You can't help but relate to her teen angst. The author did a bang-up job of keeping things running smooth. The author also has slipped some climate thoughts and political thoughts in there. Reading about Bobby describe life at Bear Lake and loss of nature around it, you get a little lesson in climate change. I found it intriguing. It puts another perspective on loss of nature. We are losing some of our nature. The political items in there were spot on. I think it helped pull the story into today. Though I don't agree with some of the messages, I did find they just fit in well with the story and the hunt for those with magic. This is a really good book. Great for young adults but adults just may enjoy it too.… (lisätietoja)