tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7348815.post2547050281942441276..comments2024-03-28T01:04:21.897-06:00Comments on Gossamer Obsessions: "The Land of Stories: The Wishing Spell," by Chris ColferAnimeJunehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18229748454410488167noreply@blogger.comBlogger35125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7348815.post-37078611050736495472017-12-02T11:40:35.218-07:002017-12-02T11:40:35.218-07:00I totally agree with you Anonymous!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!...I totally agree with you Anonymous!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7348815.post-24969049118236845262017-12-02T11:34:06.692-07:002017-12-02T11:34:06.692-07:00The reasons for your negative view on this book we...The reasons for your negative view on this book were great, but I think you were just a little rude. I honestly loved the book and the other books in this series. Your review was great! Thanks!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7348815.post-60026257272832910342015-07-12T00:30:30.989-06:002015-07-12T00:30:30.989-06:00I think this series is amazing, and wish that you ...I think this series is amazing, and wish that you hadn't posted this review. Yes, it's not perfect, but no book is!!Emmanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7348815.post-47451220361073699192014-10-20T17:43:43.782-06:002014-10-20T17:43:43.782-06:00Hello! İzləmə varsa, mənim yoxsul Francis bağışla ...Hello! İzləmə varsa, mənim yoxsul Francis bağışla edin. Bu bir az "rusty . " Var :) Passiv dil yalnız uşaqlar üçün deyil . Uşaqlar həmçinin cari dil oxuya bilərsiniz və fəal dil daha maraqlı, daha təsviri .<br /><br />Queen hekayə "real" hekayə deyil. Bu orijinal deyil, və bu hekayə fərqli idi " Bir Zamanlar . " Bu Chris Colfer bir fikir idi. Mən a bildirib Buna görə " spoyler ".<br /><br />Mən kasıb french üçün üzr istəyirik. :)<br />If you now this language you rockBellanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7348815.post-62032750861864916472014-10-20T17:41:18.517-06:002014-10-20T17:41:18.517-06:00um ma'm no one here can read french so Yeah yo...um ma'm no one here can read french so Yeah you dont need to apologize for not having good frenchBellanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7348815.post-50842785861331390332014-10-20T17:38:09.443-06:002014-10-20T17:38:09.443-06:00i understand what your saying because since it is ...i understand what your saying because since it is a childrens book they can not make it evil or negative in which it would no longer be a childrens book.Bellanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7348815.post-58546746032559106202013-06-21T11:56:53.396-06:002013-06-21T11:56:53.396-06:00I also appreciated your (very clear and useful) de...I also appreciated your (very clear and useful) description of the use of passive voice, when pointing out Chris Colfer's use of it in this story. The use of passive tense is something to think about for the future, but I did enjoy "The Land of Stories." <br /><br />I do wish that you had included THIS portion (points to the positive reply just overhead) in the original review, because that is pretty much what I saw, as well. I very much enjoyed Colfer's book, to the point where I ignored the passive voice and a slight tendency to re-use favorite words.<br /><br />Since it is not uncommon at all for miraculous solutions to occur in fiction, I don't have an issue with that, either. I'm guessing that you are thinking of the crying fairy? That seemed to be an intentionally ironic scene, so perhaps there are others.Stephanie Strainnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7348815.post-6463454924345755792012-09-17T10:39:24.882-06:002012-09-17T10:39:24.882-06:00Thank you for the really insightful review. As som...Thank you for the really insightful review. As someone who has just read the book, I do agree with the issues you had with the storyplot and writing. To be honest, I was really looking forward to reading this partly because I was a big Chris Colfer fan, and he is always charmingly witty in person so I believed that would be reflected in his written works as well. However, I have to say, I was and am thoroughly disappointed with the book for a few reasons, and one major factor was the writing style. I didn't know how to term it - until I saw your review. Yes, passive! I felt really disconnected a few chapters into the book but I continued, hoping the plot would compensate. Sadly, it didn't. Yes, it turned out to be a sappy children's book but I am 17 and I do still enjoy my old Enid Blyton books. For me, it was largely the writing style that didn't work. Just my opinion.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7348815.post-89084799436791310382012-08-25T08:44:34.201-06:002012-08-25T08:44:34.201-06:00I'm afraid not. I'm still a fan of Glee an...I'm afraid not. I'm still a fan of Glee and Chris Colfer so I'll still be hanging onto the book as a souvenir of Book Expo. AnimeJunehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18229748454410488167noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7348815.post-55283716547802085452012-08-25T08:41:46.691-06:002012-08-25T08:41:46.691-06:00You're welcome! Yeah - explaining a character&...You're welcome! Yeah - explaining a character's actions is not the same as excusing them and I really think that's what this novel did.AnimeJunehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18229748454410488167noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7348815.post-6508349237889734662012-08-24T06:48:19.326-06:002012-08-24T06:48:19.326-06:00Hey I'm guessing you don't usually do this...Hey I'm guessing you don't usually do this but as you weren't particularly impressed by this book would you be willing to give away the arc??<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7348815.post-72276036202444503232012-08-03T07:58:53.089-06:002012-08-03T07:58:53.089-06:00Chris Colfer is a fantastic actor but he should re...Chris Colfer is a fantastic actor but he should read a lot more because he wrote it like a screenplay not a book. I've read fanfiction better than that.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7348815.post-20677992268620497022012-08-03T05:32:42.682-06:002012-08-03T05:32:42.682-06:00Thank you for putting into words what i felt about...Thank you for putting into words what i felt about this book.<br />I'm french too so sorry for my poor english ^^<br />I'm a Chris Colfer fan but i don't think the guy is a superman who poops rainbows. <br />He really needs to do more research and work a little harder on the second book because this one was disappointing compared to all the good reviews i found on the internet. <br />The only thing you didn't talk about and that annoy me the most was all the love stories of the book. I wanted to read about a fairy tale world and not about girls and boys kissing passionately yeurk... It was really cheesy, like Twilight cheesy... And it surprised me because he really made a point of NOT including any love story in Struck by lightning.<br />Like you said, the Evil Queen harmed a lot of person and shouldn't be forgiven. I'm not sure i would forgive someone who killed my mother just because she wanted to rescue her boyfriend -_- she should have live with the pain like any good person would have. And i'm quite shocked by the fact that Chris can't see the problem in his moral.<br />I would love for him to read your review because i'm sure he's clever enough to understand and take it as a way to improve his work in the future. The editing is nonexistent so i hope someone in his entourage will be brave enough to tell him one day that he has potential but there's a lot of place for improvement.<br />Another thing that shows that he didn't do a lot of research : the brothers grimms weren't the first to write about sleeping beauty, cinderella and red riding hood, they wrote a version of these fairy tales but not the original version.<br />Still, i'm looking forward to read the sequel and i hope there will be less love story in it lol.<br />Thank you for your review i don't feel lonely anymore about the evil queen thing ^^Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7348815.post-57344589956126030292012-07-16T12:56:21.976-06:002012-07-16T12:56:21.976-06:00Sound like your experience with The Land of Storie...Sound like your experience with The Land of Stories was similar to mine, though you have put it much more eloquently. I could see the talent of the writer in there, but this particular book disappointed. Colfer is a talented young man so I'm hoping his next creative offering is more to my taste. :)Ann Kristinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10901592106605676171noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7348815.post-24172742261840397862012-07-11T11:50:24.741-06:002012-07-11T11:50:24.741-06:00AnimeJune's agenda: Giving honest reviews of b...AnimeJune's agenda: Giving honest reviews of books she reads. On her own blog. Which no one has to visit if they don't want to.<br /><br />syinasu's agenda: Shutting up anyone she disagrees with.willafulhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17201963128584310884noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7348815.post-57061511141990198982012-07-10T12:20:12.611-06:002012-07-10T12:20:12.611-06:00I find it hilarious when people start criticizing ...I find it hilarious when people start criticizing you for your reviews. HOW DARE YOU HAVE AN OPINION! I find them honest and humorous, and I appreciate that. I would never read a site where they only gave glowing reviews to the books, what is the point?Laelanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7348815.post-43986499161562904972012-07-08T09:22:07.629-06:002012-07-08T09:22:07.629-06:00I'm actually quite looking forward to Struck B...I'm actually quite looking forward to Struck By Lightning!AnimeJunehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18229748454410488167noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7348815.post-49460704796414085052012-07-08T09:21:14.238-06:002012-07-08T09:21:14.238-06:00Bonjour! S'il vouz plait, excuse ma pauvre fra...Bonjour! S'il vouz plait, excuse ma pauvre francis. C'est un peu "rusty." :) La language passive n'est pas seulement pour les enfants. Les enfants peux lire la langage active aussi, et la language active est plus descriptive, plus interessant. <br /><br />L'histoire de la Reine n'est pas la "vrai" histoire. Ce n'etait pas dans l'originale, et il etait differente de l'histoire dans "Once Upon a Time." C'etait une idee de Chris Colfer. Ceci est pourquoi j'ai dit que c'etait un "spoiler."<br /><br />Je m'excuse pour ma pauvre francais. :)AnimeJunehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18229748454410488167noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7348815.post-11791712079475031182012-07-07T12:15:39.165-06:002012-07-07T12:15:39.165-06:00I used to be a film major, and as such I reviewed ...I used to be a film major, and as such I reviewed and critiqued a lot of films so I understand all this backlash you can recieve from a negative review of something that is the work of a man with throngs of fans. People need to understand that a review is a review, it's not something written in stone that is automatically law. I respect your review, I'm hoping that LoS turns out a bit better than you see it, as I'm a huge Chris Colfer fan and I have high hopes for his future. Judging by Struck By Lightning, I'm sure in time his writing will grow and become better!Kayla Dennyhttp://mskayladenny.tumblr.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7348815.post-68958469011288435052012-07-07T10:06:14.865-06:002012-07-07T10:06:14.865-06:00(I' m french so l'm going to make (lot of)...(I' m french so l'm going to make (lot of) mistakes, sorry about that) I already order the book so I'm going to read it anyway, I don't think your review is bad, it's just your view. <br />Your only mistake (as I see it) is to say on your tumblr "don't read it". <br />You're only say that you don't like it because of a passive language whose for me a good thing, so much simple to read as a french person and posibly for kid too (and it's a book for kids). And as for the evil queen past, it's sort of a fact, I didn't read all the Grimm's brother books so I can't swear it but it's the case in the tv show "Once upon a time" so it wasn't a spoiler for me and it's not Chris Colfer idea so I don't blame him for the Evil Queen back story. As for the whole book I can wait to read it and make my own opinion!Anne-Clairehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11798265235904078118noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7348815.post-22259394809153526152012-07-07T08:40:40.377-06:002012-07-07T08:40:40.377-06:00That's a fair enough response. My mum read a l...That's a fair enough response. My mum read a lot of my books before giving them to me ... that's how she came to enjoy YA! :DAnimeJunehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18229748454410488167noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7348815.post-55013644535664782152012-07-07T08:34:29.840-06:002012-07-07T08:34:29.840-06:00First Anonymous - Point #1: Whether 1st book or la...First Anonymous - Point #1: Whether 1st book or last book, that doesn't excuse it from needing to be well-written, original, and interesting. <br /><br />Point #2: It being a kid's book ESPECIALLY DOES NOT excuse it from needing to be well-written, original, and interesting. I really REALLY hate the common belief that kids' books can be stupid or trite because "it's just for kids." <br /><br />Do you feed your kids crap food - "because who cares, it's just for kids"? Do you send your kids to terrible schools or buy them cheap car seats or give them knock-off vitamins because "hey, who cares about the quality, they're just for my kids"? NO. Children's literature does not mean a drop in quality. Read some A.A. Milne or Beatrix Potter.<br /><br />Point #3: I don't hate Chris Colfer. If you can notice (...or read), I don't review the author - I review his BOOK, and back it up with points and reasons.<br /><br />Second Anonymous: Thank you! Exactly. You're free to disagree with a review, but negative reviews don't immediately mean an agenda.AnimeJunehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18229748454410488167noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7348815.post-52186683883147832632012-07-07T08:28:32.716-06:002012-07-07T08:28:32.716-06:00There's definite POTENTIAL there. Maybe I coul...There's definite POTENTIAL there. Maybe I could have emphasised that more in my review. The passive voice, the meandering linear plot, it all reads like a first draft from newer people in the critique I used to belong to. <br /><br />BUT - there is also really funny dialogue, the Goldilocks-as-an-out-law plot point was pretty interesting, etc. If he'd worked on the manuscript longer and read more middle grade and learned more about the craft this might have been much stronger.<br /><br />As it is, it still sounds like he's a strong writer with a future ahead of him provided he keeps working at it - he even has a movie coming out, which got very strong reviews. Perhaps because screenplays focus more on dialogue (which appears to be Colfer's strength) and you don't "see" the descriptive language (something Colfer needs to work on).AnimeJunehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18229748454410488167noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7348815.post-2889094799973000942012-07-07T08:22:30.304-06:002012-07-07T08:22:30.304-06:00Indeed, Gleefan99, I'm deleting your comment b...Indeed, Gleefan99, I'm deleting your comment because I don't tolerate actual personal attacks on authors. Ethical reviewers only review the BOOKS. They don't review the author. Keep it professional.AnimeJunehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18229748454410488167noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7348815.post-2368361142660119352012-07-07T08:21:30.722-06:002012-07-07T08:21:30.722-06:00I'm sorry, I must have missed the memo orderin...I'm sorry, I must have missed the memo ordering me to make my review positive. I'm sorry, but that's not how that works. Again, I don't have an agenda. I just review books and this one didn't sit well with me.AnimeJunehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18229748454410488167noreply@blogger.com