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The Talents Trilogy #1
Ordinary Monsters
Goodreads Choice Award
Nominee for Readers' Favorite Fantasy (2022)Charlie Ovid, despite surviving a brutal childhood in Mississippi, doesn't have a scar on him. His body heals itself, whether he wants it to or not. Marlowe, a foundling from a railway freight car, shines with a strange bluish light. He can melt or mend flesh. When Alice Quicke, a jaded detective with her own troubled past, is recruited to escort them to safety, all three begin a journey into the nature of difference and belonging, and the shadowy edges of the monstrous.
What follows is a story of wonder and betrayal, from the gaslit streets of London, and the wooden theaters of Meiji-era Tokyo, to an eerie estate outside Edinburgh where other children with gifts--like Komako, a witch-child and twister of dust, and Ribs, a girl who cloaks herself in invisibility--are forced to combat the forces that threaten their safety. There, the world of the dead and the world of the living threaten to collide. With this new found family, Komako, Marlowe, Charlie, Ribs, and the rest of the Talents discover the truth about their abilities. And as secrets within the Institute unfurl, a new question arises: What truly defines a monster?
Riveting in its scope, exquisitely written, Ordinary Monsters presents a catastrophic vision of the Victorian world--and of the gifted, broken children who must save it.
What follows is a story of wonder and betrayal, from the gaslit streets of London, and the wooden theaters of Meiji-era Tokyo, to an eerie estate outside Edinburgh where other children with gifts--like Komako, a witch-child and twister of dust, and Ribs, a girl who cloaks herself in invisibility--are forced to combat the forces that threaten their safety. There, the world of the dead and the world of the living threaten to collide. With this new found family, Komako, Marlowe, Charlie, Ribs, and the rest of the Talents discover the truth about their abilities. And as secrets within the Institute unfurl, a new question arises: What truly defines a monster?
Riveting in its scope, exquisitely written, Ordinary Monsters presents a catastrophic vision of the Victorian world--and of the gifted, broken children who must save it.
672 pages, Hardcover
First published June 7, 2022
About the author
J.M. Miro
4 books721 followersJ.M. Miro is a novelist and poet living in the Pacific Northwest who grew up reading fantasy and speculative fiction.
He also writes under the name Steven Price.
He also writes under the name Steven Price.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 3,241 reviews
May 16, 2022
QUICK-ISH TAKE: Stick with me here.
Ordinary Monsters is a f*cking mess. It’s epically long at 672 pages, with a sprawling cast of characters, an unwieldy system of magic, a school for gifted youth that feels very familiar, and some muddled character motivation. I could list all the things that I struggled with in this book when I first read it over a year ago...
That being said, I CANNOT STOP THINKING ABOUT ORDINARY MONSTERS. Even having read it a year ago, it is still resonating with me. The story of a mysterious detective agency (think Pinkertons) in a race against time to track down two children with mysterious powers and protect them from a malevolent force, Ordinary Monsters somehow feels familiar while also managing to subvert expectations and take this genre to an entirely new level.
As someone who read 250 books last year, I struggle to remember key scenes or characters pretty soon after I finish a book (it’s a gift and a curse!), but with #OrdinaryMonsters, I can still remember the epic train battle, the stunning and haunting Tokyo section, and the brutal hand-to-hand combat between two badass female characters and a terrifying golem.
This is world-building on an epic scope, the likes of which I haven’t read since WANDERERS and THE NIGHT CIRCUS. Like those books, this one is nowhere near perfect. But I’m okay with a big glorious mess if it sticks with me the way this book has. JM Miro is an exciting new voice in grounded fantasy, and I can’t wait to see where they go next in this trilogy.
Ordinary Monsters is a f*cking mess. It’s epically long at 672 pages, with a sprawling cast of characters, an unwieldy system of magic, a school for gifted youth that feels very familiar, and some muddled character motivation. I could list all the things that I struggled with in this book when I first read it over a year ago...
That being said, I CANNOT STOP THINKING ABOUT ORDINARY MONSTERS. Even having read it a year ago, it is still resonating with me. The story of a mysterious detective agency (think Pinkertons) in a race against time to track down two children with mysterious powers and protect them from a malevolent force, Ordinary Monsters somehow feels familiar while also managing to subvert expectations and take this genre to an entirely new level.
As someone who read 250 books last year, I struggle to remember key scenes or characters pretty soon after I finish a book (it’s a gift and a curse!), but with #OrdinaryMonsters, I can still remember the epic train battle, the stunning and haunting Tokyo section, and the brutal hand-to-hand combat between two badass female characters and a terrifying golem.
This is world-building on an epic scope, the likes of which I haven’t read since WANDERERS and THE NIGHT CIRCUS. Like those books, this one is nowhere near perfect. But I’m okay with a big glorious mess if it sticks with me the way this book has. JM Miro is an exciting new voice in grounded fantasy, and I can’t wait to see where they go next in this trilogy.
September 4, 2022
very long winded but, gosh, marlowe sure is the sweetest little thing. he made pushing through worth it.
this is a weird review because my after reading thoughts are completely different from my during reading thoughts.
whilst i was reading this, i thought the concept was a little unoriginal, the writing fine, and the characters decent. everything is enjoyable, but nothing spectacular. the repetitiveness of the narrative made the whole process slog a bit, but overall, a fine story because some elements (aka marlowe) made it worth it.
however, after reading this, im finding myself thinking about this much more positively. the characters are cool, i love the science behind the talents, the villain is super interesting, the fight scenes are still replaying in my head, the setting is gothic, and overall, its just a really neat story.
so take that as you will. lol.
↠ 3.5 stars
this is a weird review because my after reading thoughts are completely different from my during reading thoughts.
whilst i was reading this, i thought the concept was a little unoriginal, the writing fine, and the characters decent. everything is enjoyable, but nothing spectacular. the repetitiveness of the narrative made the whole process slog a bit, but overall, a fine story because some elements (aka marlowe) made it worth it.
however, after reading this, im finding myself thinking about this much more positively. the characters are cool, i love the science behind the talents, the villain is super interesting, the fight scenes are still replaying in my head, the setting is gothic, and overall, its just a really neat story.
so take that as you will. lol.
↠ 3.5 stars
September 4, 2022
4.5 Stars
This was good, a little long… but it’s a good! I’m looking forward to the rest of the books!
Mel 🖤🐶🐺🐾
This was good, a little long… but it’s a good! I’m looking forward to the rest of the books!
Mel 🖤🐶🐺🐾
August 4, 2022
I'm not sure how to articulate my feelings toward this book and the reading experience.
I want to start off by saying that there are so many things I really enjoyed.
- The narrator's voice is phenomenal. Highly recommend the audiobook (though it's a longer experience than physically reading)
- Alice and Coulton are my favs and I adore them
- The writing is fantastic.
HOWEVER, the book is way too damn long. It took 40 pages for every scene. I'm not sure if this is me and I am not viewing this book through the proper lens. Because it is so good but I was so annoyed at how long it took to read and how slowly we were making our way through the story. It isn't until like page 350 before they even get to the institute. And at that point I felt like the book was JUST beginning.
Also, they got rid of someone I really wanted to read about in the next book.
I can't imagine having 3 books this long in the series. I doubt I will continue.
But, also, it's good?
I DON'T KNOW Y'ALL I'M CONFLICTED.
I want to start off by saying that there are so many things I really enjoyed.
- The narrator's voice is phenomenal. Highly recommend the audiobook (though it's a longer experience than physically reading)
- Alice and Coulton are my favs and I adore them
- The writing is fantastic.
HOWEVER, the book is way too damn long. It took 40 pages for every scene. I'm not sure if this is me and I am not viewing this book through the proper lens. Because it is so good but I was so annoyed at how long it took to read and how slowly we were making our way through the story. It isn't until like page 350 before they even get to the institute. And at that point I felt like the book was JUST beginning.
Also, they got rid of someone I really wanted to read about in the next book.
I can't imagine having 3 books this long in the series. I doubt I will continue.
But, also, it's good?
I DON'T KNOW Y'ALL I'M CONFLICTED.
December 28, 2022
Had potential with a great atmosphere through the beginning but ultimately I felt that it wasn't holding my attention past the 200 page mark.
Reading Vlog with in depth thoughts - https://youtu.be/mDXWSDRlXzs
Reading Vlog with in depth thoughts - https://youtu.be/mDXWSDRlXzs
May 23, 2022
This is one of those books that lingers with you. I’ve seen it compared to pretty much all stories about children with supernatural gifts; The Umbrella Academy, X-Men, Miss Peregrines, etc and then crossed with the atmosphere and time of Penny Dreadful. That was enough to make me pick it up and it did not disappoint.
There’s a seemingly huge cast of characters but it primarily focuses on two orphaned children with unique talents and the people trying to bring them back to a school while also being hunted by others. It took a bit to grasp all of the cast but once I did, I was buckled in for the long haul. While this book seems dark and gritty, it also feels whimsical at times and as innocent as the children we follow. The story is long and involved but it never felt like a slog to me. The writing is rich and I can picture every single scene vividly. I will basically not shut up about this book for the foreseeable future. Apologies in advance.
There’s a seemingly huge cast of characters but it primarily focuses on two orphaned children with unique talents and the people trying to bring them back to a school while also being hunted by others. It took a bit to grasp all of the cast but once I did, I was buckled in for the long haul. While this book seems dark and gritty, it also feels whimsical at times and as innocent as the children we follow. The story is long and involved but it never felt like a slog to me. The writing is rich and I can picture every single scene vividly. I will basically not shut up about this book for the foreseeable future. Apologies in advance.
May 25, 2022
3.5 Stars
This is an imaginative piece of historical Gothic fantasy. The worldbuilding, characters and prose came together to offer a unique and nauced story.
I had hoped this one would be a bit darker so I have to acknowledge that it was not entirely to my tastes. I still enjoyed it, but I'll admit that it was more wholesome and cozy than the dark fiction that normally draws me in.
I would recommend this ones to fans of historical fantasy who enjoy getting lost in a sweeping tale.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher.
This is an imaginative piece of historical Gothic fantasy. The worldbuilding, characters and prose came together to offer a unique and nauced story.
I had hoped this one would be a bit darker so I have to acknowledge that it was not entirely to my tastes. I still enjoyed it, but I'll admit that it was more wholesome and cozy than the dark fiction that normally draws me in.
I would recommend this ones to fans of historical fantasy who enjoy getting lost in a sweeping tale.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher.
December 21, 2023
Christina Orlando called J.M. Miro’s ORDINARY MONSTERS a cross between The Umbrella Academy and Penny Dreadful and readers, let me assure you that this comparison rings absolutely true. Leaping between a great many perspectives, Miro tells the story of the Talents—those gifted with a number of related supernatural gifts—and their mysterious school, the Cairndale Institute, as the world of the living and the world of the dead come perilously close to colliding and ushering in a catastrophe of grand proportions.
Miro’s novel is a dark, sweeping, and gorgeously written story of the Victorian world—from the southern United States, to London, to Meiji-era Tokyo, to Edinburgh, and beyond—coming to terms with an impending apocalypse that would end the world as they know it forever and usher in a terrifying future. In its nearly seven hundred pages, ORDINARY MONSTERS manages to make the overused setting of Victorian England feel new again, sending us into a labyrinthine situation that begs us to care about each and every person we learn about, and care we do.
It’s impossible to describe this book’s scope and richness of character without giving away details that you’re better off reading yourself. No page space is wasted here and the fact that this is the first book in an upcoming trilogy makes me incredibly excited. The story of the Talents feels written specifically for my interests and it’s one that I would wish I’d written myself, but then I wouldn’t have been able to read it and settle into the glorious anticipation I find myself in waiting for the sequel. It’s a long way off, but the wait is going to be very, very worth it. ORDINARY MONSTERS is a triumph of historical fantasy and I can’t wait to see it arrive into the world to the acclaim it deserves.
My sincerest thanks to Edelweiss+, NetGalley, and Flatiron Books for providing both an eARC and a physical ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Miro’s novel is a dark, sweeping, and gorgeously written story of the Victorian world—from the southern United States, to London, to Meiji-era Tokyo, to Edinburgh, and beyond—coming to terms with an impending apocalypse that would end the world as they know it forever and usher in a terrifying future. In its nearly seven hundred pages, ORDINARY MONSTERS manages to make the overused setting of Victorian England feel new again, sending us into a labyrinthine situation that begs us to care about each and every person we learn about, and care we do.
It’s impossible to describe this book’s scope and richness of character without giving away details that you’re better off reading yourself. No page space is wasted here and the fact that this is the first book in an upcoming trilogy makes me incredibly excited. The story of the Talents feels written specifically for my interests and it’s one that I would wish I’d written myself, but then I wouldn’t have been able to read it and settle into the glorious anticipation I find myself in waiting for the sequel. It’s a long way off, but the wait is going to be very, very worth it. ORDINARY MONSTERS is a triumph of historical fantasy and I can’t wait to see it arrive into the world to the acclaim it deserves.
My sincerest thanks to Edelweiss+, NetGalley, and Flatiron Books for providing both an eARC and a physical ARC in exchange for an honest review.
January 20, 2023
“La maldad, dijo en voz baja, es un asunto de perspectiva”.
Encontré este libro de casualidad el otro que día que fui a la librería de mi pueblo. Por motivos externos apenas suelo leer ya en físico y casi siempre leo en mi lector. Sin embargo, ese día a punto de salir este libro me llamo la atención. Lo había visto pululando por estas redes y le tenía ganas porque tenía buena pinta. En ese momento algo en mi me dijo que tenía que cogerlo, vamos a decir que tenía un palpito y cuando lo tengo no suele fallar. No sabía de que iba la novela ni me atreví a leer la sinopsis, porque eso es una manía que he cogido recientemente. Intento no leer nada de la contraportada del libro porque siento que eso me da bastantes expectativas y no me permite juzgar el libro desde 0 por mí misma.
“Todo el mundo tiene miedo. Yo también me asusto (…) El miedo es simplemente tu cabeza diciéndole a tu corazón que hay que tener cuidado. No es algo malo. Lo importante es lo que haces al respecto”.
Ahora en cuanto a la novela en sí, no quiero hablar sobre ella porque siento que es mejor ir sin saber nada y leerla con calma y no romper la “magia” . Lo que sí puedo decir es que la novela me cautivó y me gustó mucho, sin embargo, no soy capaz de ponerle las cinco estrellas porque me ha faltado algo.
“-El mundo es un lugar muy grande, querida. Algunos piensan que, si corres lo suficiente, puedes escapar del todo. Hasta de tus errores.
+¿Tú crees?
-Mira, yo llevo dieciocho años corriendo, pero no puedes huir de ti misma”.
El autor no voy a negarlo escribe muy bien. Sabe crear personajes y hacer que te encariñes. También siento que tiene ideas muy buenas y sabe desarrollarlas. Lo único que siento que estoy ante la punta del iceberg, necesito respuestas, pero hasta 2024 no hay indicios de la segunda parte. Hasta entonces, esperaré y cuando llegue el momento la releeré porque siento que merece la pena.
“Las mejores mentiras contienen verdades dentro de ellas”.
Encontré este libro de casualidad el otro que día que fui a la librería de mi pueblo. Por motivos externos apenas suelo leer ya en físico y casi siempre leo en mi lector. Sin embargo, ese día a punto de salir este libro me llamo la atención. Lo había visto pululando por estas redes y le tenía ganas porque tenía buena pinta. En ese momento algo en mi me dijo que tenía que cogerlo, vamos a decir que tenía un palpito y cuando lo tengo no suele fallar. No sabía de que iba la novela ni me atreví a leer la sinopsis, porque eso es una manía que he cogido recientemente. Intento no leer nada de la contraportada del libro porque siento que eso me da bastantes expectativas y no me permite juzgar el libro desde 0 por mí misma.
“Todo el mundo tiene miedo. Yo también me asusto (…) El miedo es simplemente tu cabeza diciéndole a tu corazón que hay que tener cuidado. No es algo malo. Lo importante es lo que haces al respecto”.
Ahora en cuanto a la novela en sí, no quiero hablar sobre ella porque siento que es mejor ir sin saber nada y leerla con calma y no romper la “magia” . Lo que sí puedo decir es que la novela me cautivó y me gustó mucho, sin embargo, no soy capaz de ponerle las cinco estrellas porque me ha faltado algo.
“-El mundo es un lugar muy grande, querida. Algunos piensan que, si corres lo suficiente, puedes escapar del todo. Hasta de tus errores.
+¿Tú crees?
-Mira, yo llevo dieciocho años corriendo, pero no puedes huir de ti misma”.
El autor no voy a negarlo escribe muy bien. Sabe crear personajes y hacer que te encariñes. También siento que tiene ideas muy buenas y sabe desarrollarlas. Lo único que siento que estoy ante la punta del iceberg, necesito respuestas, pero hasta 2024 no hay indicios de la segunda parte. Hasta entonces, esperaré y cuando llegue el momento la releeré porque siento que merece la pena.
“Las mejores mentiras contienen verdades dentro de ellas”.
June 25, 2022
I'm angry that I gave this book a day of my life. That's right. This book (on audio) is over 24 hours long.
You can watch my standalone review on my booktube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aG-mS...
I requested this on NetGalley because I was in the market for an audiobook and this sounded promising. Plus, the cover gives vibes of dark atmosphere and fantastical mystery. It was supposed to be victorian era historical fantasy about children with super abilities, their school, and those who wished them harm. It sounded like it had to the potential to be a cross between Vita Nostra and X-men. Sign me up!
The beginning started things off well. It was creepy and mysterious with the beginnings of interesting characters. But then it just fell flat imo. The plot failed to engage me. The characters lacked depth and I wasn't invested in any of them. There was no atmosphere or vibes to get lost in. In sum, it felt like a very long winded story outline that was missing all the magic that goes into making a story actually come alive.
I must also comment on the audio performance. It was terrible. The voice actor could not do a US accent and I cringed whenever he tried. He also made all the children's voices really whiny/pathetic sounding. His voices for some of the adults were comically grave. I could not take the voice acting seriously and I do wonder if I would have had a very different experience eye reading this instead.
One more note...the author portrays a Black boy experiencing terrible racism in the southern US and then traveling to the magic school in Scotland where it is emphasized that he is suddenly relieved of all racial oppression. It is emphasized repeatedly that there is such a big difference between Scotland/England and Mississippi. Basically, he has completely escaped racism and is safe now that he left the US. That....is laughable. Does the author really believe that?
I received an audio arc from NetGalley with the understanding that I'd provide an honest review.
Sexual violence? A tiny bit in past tense in the beginning. Other content warnings? Racism, suicide, torture, racial violence, gore.
You can watch my standalone review on my booktube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aG-mS...
I requested this on NetGalley because I was in the market for an audiobook and this sounded promising. Plus, the cover gives vibes of dark atmosphere and fantastical mystery. It was supposed to be victorian era historical fantasy about children with super abilities, their school, and those who wished them harm. It sounded like it had to the potential to be a cross between Vita Nostra and X-men. Sign me up!
The beginning started things off well. It was creepy and mysterious with the beginnings of interesting characters. But then it just fell flat imo. The plot failed to engage me. The characters lacked depth and I wasn't invested in any of them. There was no atmosphere or vibes to get lost in. In sum, it felt like a very long winded story outline that was missing all the magic that goes into making a story actually come alive.
I must also comment on the audio performance. It was terrible. The voice actor could not do a US accent and I cringed whenever he tried. He also made all the children's voices really whiny/pathetic sounding. His voices for some of the adults were comically grave. I could not take the voice acting seriously and I do wonder if I would have had a very different experience eye reading this instead.
One more note...the author portrays a Black boy experiencing terrible racism in the southern US and then traveling to the magic school in Scotland where it is emphasized that he is suddenly relieved of all racial oppression. It is emphasized repeatedly that there is such a big difference between Scotland/England and Mississippi. Basically, he has completely escaped racism and is safe now that he left the US. That....is laughable. Does the author really believe that?
I received an audio arc from NetGalley with the understanding that I'd provide an honest review.
Sexual violence? A tiny bit in past tense in the beginning. Other content warnings? Racism, suicide, torture, racial violence, gore.
January 25, 2024
4.5 RTC!! WOWOWOWOWOWOWOW
May 29, 2022
Talents. That’s what Dr. Berghast called them. She had seen disturbing things, biblical things: flesh rippling like water, altering the face of a child into another’s; a little boy, laying hands on a corpse and raising it, boneless, into a hulking flesh giant. Two years ago she had listened as a girl of twelve — a bone witch as Dr. Berghast had described her in a letter — whistled a skeleton up out of its coffin and into a clattering dance. The stuff of nightmares. Margaret Harrogate had no such talents herself, thank the good Lord. Nor had her husband any, when he was alive. And the truth of it was, she wasn’t even sure now whether she thought what the children could do was natural or unnatural, a right thing or a wrong one.
I have to admit I’m a bit disappointed with this. When I learned that an author I admire was releasing his first Fantasy novel under the pseudonym J. M. Miro, I was excited because even if I’m not a regular reader of Fantasy, excellent writing typically transcends genres. But Ordinary Monsters didn’t quite do it for me. Miro nails the historical elements (as he has in other novels), creates well-rounded and relatable characters (in particular, the women), and sets up an intriguing and dramatic premise, but I found the details to be a bit cinematically cliché, as though the most breathtaking scenes (a fight on a moving train that carries up to the carriage rooftops, being stalked through the gaslit fog of nighttime Victorian Whitechapel, a Nosferatu-like zombie that can spider along the ceiling towards you) were all sequences that I had seen in movies before. Having said that, however, I was never bored by this book (despite its nearly 700 pages), will probably continue with the series, and think it would make a popular movie franchise (wishing the author much success with this series, because literary fiction probably doesn’t pay the bills.) [Note: I read an ARC and passages quoted may not be in their final forms.]
One April afternoon in Chicago when she was six she had been caught in a thunderstorm and she had felt something like it then, the electricity helixing all around her. Her mother had run out to her that day and bundled her inside with her swollen knuckles and had toweled her dry while the wood in their basement room hissed in the stove and lightning flashed in sheets over the lake. A scent of burning cedar. Rose-hip tea from Boston in chipped mugs. The oil and grease smell of her mother’s skin, which Alice had not smelled in a quarter century. That. She was crying. She stood in the darkness of that tent and wiped at her eyes with the inside of her wrists. She saw in the blue glow the faces of the men gathered there were also wet with tears and she raised her eyes. The shining boy grew brighter. And then brighter still.
Basically: Sometimes children around the world are born with “talents”, and for their training and protection, agents are sent to collect them and bring them to a mouldering boarding school in northern Scotland, the Cairndale Institute. Ordinary Monsters opens with the collection of two such children — Charlie (a sixteen-year-old Black orphan being held in a Mississippi jail) and Marlowe (an eight-year-old British foundling who was spirited away to a travelling circus in America) — and as the detectives (a ginger-whiskered British man, Coulton, and a weathered American woman, Alice) evade the characters and forces that might try to prevent their success, the reader is brought up to speed with this world and its dangers. I haven’t seen/read X-Men or The Umbrella Academy (both of which I’ve noted other reviewers are comparing this to), but Marlowe is reminiscent of the Boy Who Lived and Cairndale isn’t unlike Hogwarts. What’s unique to this story is the isolation that these children experience — every child who is brought to Cairndale is an orphan, overcoming a lifetime of fear and revulsion for their inexplicable “monstrous” talents — and the heartache, trauma, and gruesome fight scenes elevate this beyond children’s fiction. This becomes a story of finding family and purpose, but as so much is presented in shades of grey, it’s hard for the reader, let alone these children, to see who’s really good and who is an agent of evil. And again, I appreciate the rounded female characters that Miro has created: Brynt, the tattooed guardian; Alice, the grizzled detective; Mrs Harrogate, the widowed middleman between Cairndale and the outer world; Miss Davenshaw, the blindfolded teacher who “sees” more than most — any of them would risk their lives for the children, and I believed and appreciated it. The plot reaches a completely satisfying conclusion, while setting up the rest of the series. In order to remind myself of the details of this world, I’m putting those details behind spoiler tags:
“Thing is”, he murmured, “you waste all this time dreaming of where you came from, cause you know no one comes from nothing. And you tell yourself, if you only knew, then maybe you could see a reason for how you got to be the way you are. Why your life looks like it does. But there isn’t any reason, not really.” He worried the ring at his knuckle, feeling the bite of it.
Despite the similarities to other magical-children-at-boarding-school-tasked-with-saving-the-world type novels, you never forget that these are children being put at risk — and especially Marlowe, the shining boy who everyone wants to save — and that creates a satisfying emotional connection: not like I identified with the children but, as was the case for the strong female adult characters, something maternal and protective was drawn out of me by these “ordinary monsters”, and that’s a satisfying sensation. Three stars isn’t meant to suggest that I didn’t like this novel, I just honestly didn’t love it (and as I gave two stars to the phenomenally successful The Name of the Wind, my enjoyment level may not be typical). And once again: wishing much success to the author.
September 17, 2022
3.75, interested to read the next one.
June 15, 2022
This book deals with shades of gray.
Is there good in the villain? Is the hero pure in every way? What does it mean to be a monster?
Ordinary Monsters is the first book in The Talents Trilogy and this historical fantasy did not disappoint! The world is highly immersive, the writing is beautiful, the character development is phenomenal and the emotional pull is intense.
The story introduces readers to a special group of children called talents who were born with extraordinary abilities. (Think The Umbrella Academy, but with more depth). Although these children are promised safety at Cairndale Academy in Scotland, an older talent gone astray is seeking them out for his own nefarious purposes.
J.M. Miro has woven a remarkable tale here. One that, despite its length (almost 700 pages), never failed to captivate me. Not a single word in this stands as filler. I fell in love with these characters and even found myself, at the very least, feeling sympathy for the more villainous ones. That’s how finely nuanced everyone is in this book.
The ending left me both satisfied and wanting more. I wasn’t devastated with how it concluded (although plenty of devastation preceded that), but I am eager to see where Miro takes this. I can hardly wait to read the next book, although I know I’ll be waiting a long time. This should not be taken lightly, as few series reads truly entice me, and my fantasy tastes seem to be incredibly limited.
Reading Ordinary Monsters was a delectable experience. I exited its world a couple days ago and I miss it sorely already. J.M. Miro’s talent far exceeds that of the children, though, as the words in this book were pure magic.
I am immensely grateful to Flatiron Books for my review copy. All opinions are my own.
Ordinary Monsters will be out in June 2022.
Is there good in the villain? Is the hero pure in every way? What does it mean to be a monster?
Ordinary Monsters is the first book in The Talents Trilogy and this historical fantasy did not disappoint! The world is highly immersive, the writing is beautiful, the character development is phenomenal and the emotional pull is intense.
The story introduces readers to a special group of children called talents who were born with extraordinary abilities. (Think The Umbrella Academy, but with more depth). Although these children are promised safety at Cairndale Academy in Scotland, an older talent gone astray is seeking them out for his own nefarious purposes.
J.M. Miro has woven a remarkable tale here. One that, despite its length (almost 700 pages), never failed to captivate me. Not a single word in this stands as filler. I fell in love with these characters and even found myself, at the very least, feeling sympathy for the more villainous ones. That’s how finely nuanced everyone is in this book.
The ending left me both satisfied and wanting more. I wasn’t devastated with how it concluded (although plenty of devastation preceded that), but I am eager to see where Miro takes this. I can hardly wait to read the next book, although I know I’ll be waiting a long time. This should not be taken lightly, as few series reads truly entice me, and my fantasy tastes seem to be incredibly limited.
Reading Ordinary Monsters was a delectable experience. I exited its world a couple days ago and I miss it sorely already. J.M. Miro’s talent far exceeds that of the children, though, as the words in this book were pure magic.
I am immensely grateful to Flatiron Books for my review copy. All opinions are my own.
Ordinary Monsters will be out in June 2022.
June 7, 2022
Trigger warning - child abuse in multiple forms
Oooh, another book about an institute for kids with weird talents! Sounds fun, right? Nope! They’re all dark ones, like making skeletons dance, raising people from the dead, melting flesh, healing all their own wounds (so people hurt them for fun), and so on.
The pacing is tedious and a torture, not unlike Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell. At the 1/4 mark all I’ve done is read horrors of life on streets for Victorian era England/Scotland and Mississippi (where a young biracial boy was repeatedly executed for accidentally killing a white man, but it just wouldn’t stick.)
There is no banter, no lightness, no laughter. It’s just grim people collecting already traumatized children for the institute. It isn’t until Chapter 7 we start getting to understand the villain of the book, Jacob, and his motivations, but it’s possible that people running an institute that experiments on children aren’t wholly altruistic and kind.
Wait, this is a TRILOGY? Awww, Hell no.
Oooh, another book about an institute for kids with weird talents! Sounds fun, right? Nope! They’re all dark ones, like making skeletons dance, raising people from the dead, melting flesh, healing all their own wounds (so people hurt them for fun), and so on.
The pacing is tedious and a torture, not unlike Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell. At the 1/4 mark all I’ve done is read horrors of life on streets for Victorian era England/Scotland and Mississippi (where a young biracial boy was repeatedly executed for accidentally killing a white man, but it just wouldn’t stick.)
There is no banter, no lightness, no laughter. It’s just grim people collecting already traumatized children for the institute. It isn’t until Chapter 7 we start getting to understand the villain of the book, Jacob, and his motivations, but it’s possible that people running an institute that experiments on children aren’t wholly altruistic and kind.
Wait, this is a TRILOGY? Awww, Hell no.
June 7, 2022
“What else is loss? What is death? Who doesn't believe in things they can't explain? God and the angels, gravity and electricity, death and the mystery of life. There are forces we understand, and forces we still do not.”
Ordinary Monsters by J.M. Miro is a richly layered historical fantasy set in 1882. The story spans from the streets of the southern United States, to Victorian England, to Tokyo, Vienna and to Edinburgh. In the midst of poverty and prejudice exist orphaned children who have extraordinary abilities called Talents. These are children who live solitary, lonely lives on the streets, struggling to hide their gifts from the unforgiving world. Abused, starving, forgotten or persecuted for being different. Yet there are those few who seek to bring the children to safety, to a place they can call home, where their talents can be studied and honed.
In a remote estate just on the outskirts of Edinburgh resides Cairndale Institution, the one place to offer sanctuary to these broken children. Yet there is also one who hunts them, a figure with a face of smoke. There are forces at work who seek the world of the living and the world of the dead to collide, with catastrophic consequences. But when secrets begin to unravel Miro will force us to consider who are the real monsters in this tale?
Throughout the novel Miro takes us on a journey following the lives of Charlie Ovid, a sixteen year old bi-racial boy accused of killing a white man in Mississippi. When the authorities attempt to execute Charlie, they discover something strange, terrifying—he cannot die, his body heals with not a scratch left on him. Then there’s Marlowe, a baby found in a freight car, his skin glowing with a bluish light, a woman lying dead next to him. Marlowe can either burn flesh or heal it, and as he grows, so does his power. We then travel to a theatre in Tokyo, where within a flashback scene, we discover a young girl and her sister hiding in the attic. Komako, a young girl who can manipulate and animate dust. It falls upon detective Alice Quicke and her partner Frank Coulton to gather these children and bring them to Cairndale. Though this task is not easy when being stalked by deadly figures, or when who you actually work for and their true intentions are concealed.
Miro writes superb characterisation, he demands that we fully understand each of their backgrounds, their suffering and pain. And we do. That is the sheer beauty of this book, I felt deeply for almost every character. Charlie and Marlowe develop a genuine brotherly bond, both orphaned, both lonely and both lost in a world they don’t quite belong in. Although we do not meet Komako, Ribs and Oskar until later on, we see these children eager to accept others into their band, to empathise and build connections with others like them. In essence they become the strongest of found families because they choose each other. In a world where secrets and lies reign, where anyone who is different is shunned and demonised, Miro reflects a poignant tale of accepting who you are, of celebrating your differences, of finding a place to belong.
"…you waste all this time dreaming of where you came from, cause you know no one comes from nothing. And you tell yourself, if you only knew, then maybe you could see a reason for how you got to be the way you are. Why your life looks like
it does. But there isn't any reason, not really."
These well crafted characters also extend to the ‘villains’ too. Miro did a spectacular job with making me feel for the morally grey, more sinister characters, to the point where I asked myself, ’can good be found in a villain?’ ‘Can a hero also be evil?’ One such character is Jacob Marber, a young boy starving on the streets of Vienna, a gentle boy who had to be cared for and protected by his younger brother, until tragedy befell them. Although for a spell Jacob’s life improved as he became older, beneath the surface, simmering away, the loss of his brother consumed him. In his vulnerable state it is easy to understand why his character was manipulated by dark forces, to a degree we understand his actions, and if you’re anything like me, his story will make you cry.
Much of this novel may be set in Victorian England, but I thoroughly loved how Miro subverted from the traditional Victorian roles which women are often portrayed in through literature. The women in this novel are far from weak, subservient housewives, or noble ladies of leisure. Alice Quicke, Brynt, Miss Davenshaw and Mrs Harrowgate are women with sheer willpower, playing powerful roles, whether the world appreciates it or not. However Miro does also illustrate the hardships of Victorian life too as the era was never kind to the poor, the young, the elderly, and the outcasts. We see children living lives as street urchins, sweeping chimneys, cleaning machinery in factories, losing fingers, losing hands, losing their lives on a daily basis.
I just love Miro’s darkly atmospheric prose, his gothic setting, and the melancholy which runs through many chapters. We explore bleak themes such as extreme poverty, prejudice, grief and the veil between life and death. In fact Ordinary Monsters is rather dark with fantastical inventions too, with concepts such as the orsine—the barrier between our world and the land of the dead—and the glyphic which keeps the barrier closed. There’s also the keywrasse which I won’t say any more on as it’s a rather significant mystery within the book. Together all these elements immersed me into a bizarre world, a fascinating one where I never knew quite what to expect next.
I would say this book holds resemblances to other works such as X-Men, Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children and Umbrella Academy, whilst still being entirely its own story. Whereas personally I found Miss Peregrine and Umbrella Academy lacking in depth as to explaining the children’s powers, Miro includes a wealth of depth. Each child’s abilities are described in detail, and as the narrative shifts to Cairndale Institution we learn a great deal more about their limitations, weaknesses and the five kinds of Talents which exist. I also felt echoes of Lord of the Rings though this book is nothing like it. However, with characters such as Walter the litch, who fascinated me from his very first chapter, I saw traits of Gollum; from the conflicting voices inside his mind, to the way we pity such a feral creature, and even in the way he refers to himself in the third person—Walter, Walter. I also noticed one of the magical artefacts that two of our main protagonists are sent to find reminded me of the One Ring. If in close proximity the artefact made those who touched it never want to let it go, to keep it safe, to understand how precious it was.
In almost seven hundred pages Ordinary Monsters sweeps its readers through gaslit streets, remote estates, through depravity and peril, and leaves you aching for every character. Miro weaves an exquisite historical fiction, captivating and bursting with heart.
“Goodness wasn't a matter of
perspective and he'd seen too much suffering to want to see more of it in
the world. But the wrong kind of hoping led to bitterness, and bitterness led only to the gutter.”
ARC provided by Philippa at Bloomsbury Publishing UK. Thank you for the copy! All quotes used are taken from an ARC and are subject to change.
Ordinary Monsters is out today!
Ordinary Monsters by J.M. Miro is a richly layered historical fantasy set in 1882. The story spans from the streets of the southern United States, to Victorian England, to Tokyo, Vienna and to Edinburgh. In the midst of poverty and prejudice exist orphaned children who have extraordinary abilities called Talents. These are children who live solitary, lonely lives on the streets, struggling to hide their gifts from the unforgiving world. Abused, starving, forgotten or persecuted for being different. Yet there are those few who seek to bring the children to safety, to a place they can call home, where their talents can be studied and honed.
In a remote estate just on the outskirts of Edinburgh resides Cairndale Institution, the one place to offer sanctuary to these broken children. Yet there is also one who hunts them, a figure with a face of smoke. There are forces at work who seek the world of the living and the world of the dead to collide, with catastrophic consequences. But when secrets begin to unravel Miro will force us to consider who are the real monsters in this tale?
Throughout the novel Miro takes us on a journey following the lives of Charlie Ovid, a sixteen year old bi-racial boy accused of killing a white man in Mississippi. When the authorities attempt to execute Charlie, they discover something strange, terrifying—he cannot die, his body heals with not a scratch left on him. Then there’s Marlowe, a baby found in a freight car, his skin glowing with a bluish light, a woman lying dead next to him. Marlowe can either burn flesh or heal it, and as he grows, so does his power. We then travel to a theatre in Tokyo, where within a flashback scene, we discover a young girl and her sister hiding in the attic. Komako, a young girl who can manipulate and animate dust. It falls upon detective Alice Quicke and her partner Frank Coulton to gather these children and bring them to Cairndale. Though this task is not easy when being stalked by deadly figures, or when who you actually work for and their true intentions are concealed.
Miro writes superb characterisation, he demands that we fully understand each of their backgrounds, their suffering and pain. And we do. That is the sheer beauty of this book, I felt deeply for almost every character. Charlie and Marlowe develop a genuine brotherly bond, both orphaned, both lonely and both lost in a world they don’t quite belong in. Although we do not meet Komako, Ribs and Oskar until later on, we see these children eager to accept others into their band, to empathise and build connections with others like them. In essence they become the strongest of found families because they choose each other. In a world where secrets and lies reign, where anyone who is different is shunned and demonised, Miro reflects a poignant tale of accepting who you are, of celebrating your differences, of finding a place to belong.
"…you waste all this time dreaming of where you came from, cause you know no one comes from nothing. And you tell yourself, if you only knew, then maybe you could see a reason for how you got to be the way you are. Why your life looks like
it does. But there isn't any reason, not really."
These well crafted characters also extend to the ‘villains’ too. Miro did a spectacular job with making me feel for the morally grey, more sinister characters, to the point where I asked myself, ’can good be found in a villain?’ ‘Can a hero also be evil?’ One such character is Jacob Marber, a young boy starving on the streets of Vienna, a gentle boy who had to be cared for and protected by his younger brother, until tragedy befell them. Although for a spell Jacob’s life improved as he became older, beneath the surface, simmering away, the loss of his brother consumed him. In his vulnerable state it is easy to understand why his character was manipulated by dark forces, to a degree we understand his actions, and if you’re anything like me, his story will make you cry.
Much of this novel may be set in Victorian England, but I thoroughly loved how Miro subverted from the traditional Victorian roles which women are often portrayed in through literature. The women in this novel are far from weak, subservient housewives, or noble ladies of leisure. Alice Quicke, Brynt, Miss Davenshaw and Mrs Harrowgate are women with sheer willpower, playing powerful roles, whether the world appreciates it or not. However Miro does also illustrate the hardships of Victorian life too as the era was never kind to the poor, the young, the elderly, and the outcasts. We see children living lives as street urchins, sweeping chimneys, cleaning machinery in factories, losing fingers, losing hands, losing their lives on a daily basis.
I just love Miro’s darkly atmospheric prose, his gothic setting, and the melancholy which runs through many chapters. We explore bleak themes such as extreme poverty, prejudice, grief and the veil between life and death. In fact Ordinary Monsters is rather dark with fantastical inventions too, with concepts such as the orsine—the barrier between our world and the land of the dead—and the glyphic which keeps the barrier closed. There’s also the keywrasse which I won’t say any more on as it’s a rather significant mystery within the book. Together all these elements immersed me into a bizarre world, a fascinating one where I never knew quite what to expect next.
I would say this book holds resemblances to other works such as X-Men, Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children and Umbrella Academy, whilst still being entirely its own story. Whereas personally I found Miss Peregrine and Umbrella Academy lacking in depth as to explaining the children’s powers, Miro includes a wealth of depth. Each child’s abilities are described in detail, and as the narrative shifts to Cairndale Institution we learn a great deal more about their limitations, weaknesses and the five kinds of Talents which exist. I also felt echoes of Lord of the Rings though this book is nothing like it. However, with characters such as Walter the litch, who fascinated me from his very first chapter, I saw traits of Gollum; from the conflicting voices inside his mind, to the way we pity such a feral creature, and even in the way he refers to himself in the third person—Walter, Walter. I also noticed one of the magical artefacts that two of our main protagonists are sent to find reminded me of the One Ring. If in close proximity the artefact made those who touched it never want to let it go, to keep it safe, to understand how precious it was.
In almost seven hundred pages Ordinary Monsters sweeps its readers through gaslit streets, remote estates, through depravity and peril, and leaves you aching for every character. Miro weaves an exquisite historical fiction, captivating and bursting with heart.
“Goodness wasn't a matter of
perspective and he'd seen too much suffering to want to see more of it in
the world. But the wrong kind of hoping led to bitterness, and bitterness led only to the gutter.”
ARC provided by Philippa at Bloomsbury Publishing UK. Thank you for the copy! All quotes used are taken from an ARC and are subject to change.
Ordinary Monsters is out today!
July 4, 2024
Fabulous historical fantasy! To my delight, I see this is only the first in a series , so now I just need to be very patient!
August 1, 2022
Audiobook review.
I loved this at the start. I was immediately drawn into the story and the intrigue was built from the first minute.
As it went on, the plot dragged and I found myself losing interest and the urge to listen.
This is a mammoth book at over 22 hours, and after 2 hours, the narrator has become very monotone and I realise I've not been listening for minutes at a time.
For such a long audiobook, the narrator and and the plot need to be engaging. I don't expect to hang on to every word, but I know I can do long audios having listened to Harry Potter just last week.
This took me weeks to finish.
I loved this at the start. I was immediately drawn into the story and the intrigue was built from the first minute.
As it went on, the plot dragged and I found myself losing interest and the urge to listen.
This is a mammoth book at over 22 hours, and after 2 hours, the narrator has become very monotone and I realise I've not been listening for minutes at a time.
For such a long audiobook, the narrator and and the plot need to be engaging. I don't expect to hang on to every word, but I know I can do long audios having listened to Harry Potter just last week.
This took me weeks to finish.
December 24, 2022
Il godurioso sollucchero nel far sciogliere una caramella in bocca per appagare la voglia di dolce. Di raffinato c’è solo lo zucchero ma è impareggiabile la soddisfazione che dà qualsiasi variazione (purché sia solida) sul tema inossidabile della magia, nelle giornate fredde d’inverno.
July 19, 2022
This book may look daunting at 656 pages, but it was a quick read. I do wish the book had stuck with a single perspective a little longer at times, but I also did enjoy the variety of characters whose perspectives we get to see. The world building is very interesting and while I am left with questions I don’t think that’s by accident in the first book of a pretty epic trilogy (if the first book’s girth implies anything). I think these characters and the story are the kind that will stick with me which is good because I’ll need to know what happened when the second book comes out. In this book some children, mostly orphans, are Talents, have odd skills that keep them from finding family or being accepted in society. And there is a hidden school, but it’s goals and secrets seem darker than similar series.
June 7, 2022
This review was originally posted on Books of My Heart
Review copy was received from NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
3.5 hearts
Ordinary Monsters is the first book in the The Talents trilogy. Talents are people born with some special ability. Some can heal, others manipulate dust, one can animate items into a being, an invisible girl and then there are those that can make their bodies extremely dense and strong to not be hurt. The concept of the book isn't new, it actually reminded me of many others but the story is different. I reminded me a little of a mash up between the Umbrella Academy, Miss Peregrine's Home For Peculiar Children and His Dark Materials set in Victorian London.
One thing to know is this is a very character driven book that jumps around in time so you understand the motivations of all the characters and how/why Marlowe, a boy that can both heal and hurt others, was stolen away from the Clinic outside Edinburgh to be hidden away. Charlie is the other main character the story rotates around. He is also an orphaned boy who can heal himself from any injury except possibly beheading. As Charlie and Marlowe figure out their place in this world as they are whisked away to the clinic for Talented Children outside Edinburgh, we discover a battle between two figures. One wants to open the doors between the dead and the living guarded at the clinic, the other wants to close it completely. But they only have a limited time to figure it out as the guard between the worlds grows weak and will not last much longer.
Much of the book is spent getting the kids to the institution where they are supposed to be safe with a few altercations along the way. Once at the institution more of the why of the story is revealed and some of the magic of the world explained. I had a good time with all the children and did like learning why Marlowe was so important. That said, this book was pretty long and had a lot of down time so you will need to be a patient reader to get the meat of the story. With Liches (dead brought back to life) roaming around trying to get to people who work for the institution and the kids their are some really good action scenes but a lot of the book is spent on backstory and some heartbreaking tales. I felt the worst for the part of the story set in Tokyo and what one of the talents lost there.
A few twists at the end were unexpected and made the story more interesting. I am interested to see where this world goes in the future but I hope the author does a little better with the story layout as sometimes it was a jumbled mess in Ordinary Monsters and the 25 hours of audio felt a bit long.
Narration:
Ben Onwukwe did a great job with the narration of the story. His voice lent well to the tone of the story and the local. He had a pretty decent sized cast, but had a clear voice for each. I was able to listen to Ordinary Monsters at my usual 1.5x speed.
Listen to a clip:
https://soundcloud.com/macaudio-2/ord...
Review copy was received from NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
3.5 hearts
Ordinary Monsters is the first book in the The Talents trilogy. Talents are people born with some special ability. Some can heal, others manipulate dust, one can animate items into a being, an invisible girl and then there are those that can make their bodies extremely dense and strong to not be hurt. The concept of the book isn't new, it actually reminded me of many others but the story is different. I reminded me a little of a mash up between the Umbrella Academy, Miss Peregrine's Home For Peculiar Children and His Dark Materials set in Victorian London.
One thing to know is this is a very character driven book that jumps around in time so you understand the motivations of all the characters and how/why Marlowe, a boy that can both heal and hurt others, was stolen away from the Clinic outside Edinburgh to be hidden away. Charlie is the other main character the story rotates around. He is also an orphaned boy who can heal himself from any injury except possibly beheading. As Charlie and Marlowe figure out their place in this world as they are whisked away to the clinic for Talented Children outside Edinburgh, we discover a battle between two figures. One wants to open the doors between the dead and the living guarded at the clinic, the other wants to close it completely. But they only have a limited time to figure it out as the guard between the worlds grows weak and will not last much longer.
Much of the book is spent getting the kids to the institution where they are supposed to be safe with a few altercations along the way. Once at the institution more of the why of the story is revealed and some of the magic of the world explained. I had a good time with all the children and did like learning why Marlowe was so important. That said, this book was pretty long and had a lot of down time so you will need to be a patient reader to get the meat of the story. With Liches (dead brought back to life) roaming around trying to get to people who work for the institution and the kids their are some really good action scenes but a lot of the book is spent on backstory and some heartbreaking tales. I felt the worst for the part of the story set in Tokyo and what one of the talents lost there.
A few twists at the end were unexpected and made the story more interesting. I am interested to see where this world goes in the future but I hope the author does a little better with the story layout as sometimes it was a jumbled mess in Ordinary Monsters and the 25 hours of audio felt a bit long.
Narration:
Ben Onwukwe did a great job with the narration of the story. His voice lent well to the tone of the story and the local. He had a pretty decent sized cast, but had a clear voice for each. I was able to listen to Ordinary Monsters at my usual 1.5x speed.
Listen to a clip:
https://soundcloud.com/macaudio-2/ord...
July 5, 2022
It's books like this that make me thrilled to be avid reader. This had everything I love in a book. I know it is historical fantasy, but the Gothic atmosphere cannot be denied. I was so pleasantly surprised by how much I was invested in the story. Think Stranger Things with a vibe of Miss Peregrines Home For Peculiar Children. I loved every page.
The writing was brilliant, the characters believable and well developed, and the plot was intricate, but fast paced. I have zero complaints. I cannot wait for the next one.
The writing was brilliant, the characters believable and well developed, and the plot was intricate, but fast paced. I have zero complaints. I cannot wait for the next one.
Want to read
November 4, 2022“victorian gothic fantasy”… had all of my buzzwords
December 21, 2022
Far from staying in England, or rather, indeed, this Victorian-era fantasy travels around the world spending a lot of time doubling as a delightful period travelogue. If you like slow, immersive, and very character-oriented novels, this will be perfect for you. If you like people with mild or mysterious supernatural powers in this same setting, then it will be even better.
Our heroes are plagued by a slow-burn supernatural chase while we're treated to a slow unveiling of personal histories and eerie magic. There are a few nice plot twists but the pacing is deliberately slow and attempts to be very atmospheric.
Honestly, the atmosphere was mostly pretty good and the characters were better, but I do need to warn potential readers that they shouldn't expect enormous changes. This book is laying down the groundwork for a long haul and either you fall in love or you don't.
I've read a number of books similar in flavor to this and almost all of them blew me out of the water in their own particular ways. This one feels more like a creepy, slow, dark middle-grade YA with adult elements, almost with a Something Wicked This Way Comes feel.
It's definitely worth checking out if this is your thing.
Our heroes are plagued by a slow-burn supernatural chase while we're treated to a slow unveiling of personal histories and eerie magic. There are a few nice plot twists but the pacing is deliberately slow and attempts to be very atmospheric.
Honestly, the atmosphere was mostly pretty good and the characters were better, but I do need to warn potential readers that they shouldn't expect enormous changes. This book is laying down the groundwork for a long haul and either you fall in love or you don't.
I've read a number of books similar in flavor to this and almost all of them blew me out of the water in their own particular ways. This one feels more like a creepy, slow, dark middle-grade YA with adult elements, almost with a Something Wicked This Way Comes feel.
It's definitely worth checking out if this is your thing.
June 8, 2022
If I were to recommend only one book this year it will be this one. So many characters and each one unique. And that doesn’t mean it was confusing it means it made it better. There wasn’t anything I didn’t like about this story. Well told with an intriguing story about special children and other mysterious things going on.
This is not a romance, it’s an adventure. I chose to listen to this book on audio and was narrated by Ben Onwukwe. He was perfect for this movie like narrative. So good. Maybe the best out there. I hope he does many more books. I highly recommend listening to this one.
Thanks Macmillan Audio via NetGalley.
This is not a romance, it’s an adventure. I chose to listen to this book on audio and was narrated by Ben Onwukwe. He was perfect for this movie like narrative. So good. Maybe the best out there. I hope he does many more books. I highly recommend listening to this one.
Thanks Macmillan Audio via NetGalley.
June 6, 2022
The late nineteenth century is a dangerous time for children, especially if they’re “different.” Charlie, a teenager in Mississippi, was killed but it just didn’t stick. Unsure of what he is, he’s found by a detective gathering children like him who have Talents. Along the way, he meets Marlowe, a young child who also has a Talent. But before they can arrive at the safety of the Institute, they learn they’re being hunted by a monster, and that their very Talents may be the only thing keeping the world of the living and the world of the dead from colliding.
This work was one of epic proportions. The story was fascinating, and I really enjoyed the dark, magical, Victorian setting. The characters were all well written with varying backgrounds and motivations. They were relatable with good depth, making them easy to connect to. The work did follow the stories of several characters though and included detailed backstory for them all, which did slow down the plot in a way that I didn’t prefer.
It did feel that the author tried to do too much in one book. Between the long flashbacks into the backstory of Jacob as well as the massive lore dumps that had to happen to situate the story and magic in this world, the plot came to a halt many times. While Jacob’s history did add depth to him as a character and villain, it felt that it didn’t fit well within this book. And the amount of depth and lore the author included added to the immersiveness of the world but probably should have been pared down some to keep the plot moving at a reasonable pace.
I listened to the audiobook version of this work (24 hours long!). The narrator did an excellent job with the tone and voices of the characters, especially considering how many character voices there were in all.
This was a good fantasy/historical fiction read. While I did enjoy it, I felt that its pacing and the breadth of the work were a bit off, which made the work feel terribly long in some places.
I received a complimentary copy of this work through NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.
This work was one of epic proportions. The story was fascinating, and I really enjoyed the dark, magical, Victorian setting. The characters were all well written with varying backgrounds and motivations. They were relatable with good depth, making them easy to connect to. The work did follow the stories of several characters though and included detailed backstory for them all, which did slow down the plot in a way that I didn’t prefer.
It did feel that the author tried to do too much in one book. Between the long flashbacks into the backstory of Jacob as well as the massive lore dumps that had to happen to situate the story and magic in this world, the plot came to a halt many times. While Jacob’s history did add depth to him as a character and villain, it felt that it didn’t fit well within this book. And the amount of depth and lore the author included added to the immersiveness of the world but probably should have been pared down some to keep the plot moving at a reasonable pace.
I listened to the audiobook version of this work (24 hours long!). The narrator did an excellent job with the tone and voices of the characters, especially considering how many character voices there were in all.
This was a good fantasy/historical fiction read. While I did enjoy it, I felt that its pacing and the breadth of the work were a bit off, which made the work feel terribly long in some places.
I received a complimentary copy of this work through NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.
November 30, 2022
Non siamo forse tutto quello che riusciamo a immaginare, Jacob? era la risposta, tenue, morbida, carezzevole.
Mi sono sentita attirata da questo romanzo sin da quando avevo leggiucchiato qualche recensione straniera in estate e per me è stata una grande sorpresa trovarmelo tradotto dopo così poco.
Peraltro l'edizione è davvero pregevole, rigida, nera, con questo uccello (in realtà, se leggerete, saprete che si tratta di un ornitosso!) su sfondo dorato.
E devo dire che, fin dalla prima pagina, ci sono cascata dentro di peso, presto trascinata via dalla corrente narrativa.
Rilevo subito le cose ovvie: Oscuri Talenti s'inserisce nel filone dei college gotici, delle scuole per fanciulli magici, degli X-Men da raccogliere e proteggere contro chi li minaccia a causa del loro potere (bramato) e della loro diversità (temuta e respinta).
E, come tutte le scuole che si rispetti, anche all'istituto Cairndale c'è un mentore - il dottor Berghast - che si è fatto carico di salvarli, o almeno questa è la missione ufficiale.
Da generazioni, i Talenti vengono cercati in ogni angolo del mondo e portati al sicuro a , la dimora costruita ai confini del Velo, dove radici immerse nella terra e cunicoli separano (non sempre) vivi e morti, dove creature di tenebra lottano per entrare e altre cercano di esplorare ciò che sta al di là della nebbia mortale.
Da generazioni, i Talenti vengono emarginati e uccisi, oppure si spengono, consumando il loro potere, oppure lo perdono, oppure vengono sacrificati per il potere altrui, oppure, ancora vengono contaminati dalla tenebra.
E questo romanzo è in realtà più racconti in uno: Charlie, Marlowe, Oskar, Komako, Ribs, ma anche Alice Quicke o Mrs. Harrogate, hanno tutti una loro storia, una loro esistenza prima e dopo; tutti portano il loro piccolo contributo, nel bene e nel male, alla ragione d'essere dei Talenti, ovvero riportare, se non proprio mantenere, l'equilibrio tra bene e male, tra forze antagoniste che si scontrano.
Lo stile è ricco, denso, descrittivo come piace a me; che si tratti di scene di azione oppure di squarci di vita del circo, oppure di vita da scolari, di viaggi in treno, in nave o di misere esistenze in una Londra vittoriana, sporca di fuliggine e crudele, oppure di una Tokyo povera e infestata, si girano le pagine sperando che i buoni ce la facciano, quasi volendo tenerli per mano.
Sapevo che era il primo volume, eppure sono rimasta con un senso di sospensione al termine...
Lettura molto bella e appagante.
Non sapeva granché delle vecchie storie, storie sui morti che non erano morti e, ancora in vita, avevano varcato la soglia delle sale grigie; esercitavano talenti oscuri e avevano un aspetto mostruoso, una forza formidabile; erano creature in grado di attraversare porte e pareti e perfino la carne umana; creature di sogno, come i sogni invisibili alla luce del giorno.
Mi sono sentita attirata da questo romanzo sin da quando avevo leggiucchiato qualche recensione straniera in estate e per me è stata una grande sorpresa trovarmelo tradotto dopo così poco.
Peraltro l'edizione è davvero pregevole, rigida, nera, con questo uccello (in realtà, se leggerete, saprete che si tratta di un ornitosso!) su sfondo dorato.
E devo dire che, fin dalla prima pagina, ci sono cascata dentro di peso, presto trascinata via dalla corrente narrativa.
Rilevo subito le cose ovvie: Oscuri Talenti s'inserisce nel filone dei college gotici, delle scuole per fanciulli magici, degli X-Men da raccogliere e proteggere contro chi li minaccia a causa del loro potere (bramato) e della loro diversità (temuta e respinta).
E, come tutte le scuole che si rispetti, anche all'istituto Cairndale c'è un mentore - il dottor Berghast - che si è fatto carico di salvarli, o almeno questa è la missione ufficiale.
Da generazioni, i Talenti vengono cercati in ogni angolo del mondo e portati al sicuro a , la dimora costruita ai confini del Velo, dove radici immerse nella terra e cunicoli separano (non sempre) vivi e morti, dove creature di tenebra lottano per entrare e altre cercano di esplorare ciò che sta al di là della nebbia mortale.
Da generazioni, i Talenti vengono emarginati e uccisi, oppure si spengono, consumando il loro potere, oppure lo perdono, oppure vengono sacrificati per il potere altrui, oppure, ancora vengono contaminati dalla tenebra.
E questo romanzo è in realtà più racconti in uno: Charlie, Marlowe, Oskar, Komako, Ribs, ma anche Alice Quicke o Mrs. Harrogate, hanno tutti una loro storia, una loro esistenza prima e dopo; tutti portano il loro piccolo contributo, nel bene e nel male, alla ragione d'essere dei Talenti, ovvero riportare, se non proprio mantenere, l'equilibrio tra bene e male, tra forze antagoniste che si scontrano.
Lo stile è ricco, denso, descrittivo come piace a me; che si tratti di scene di azione oppure di squarci di vita del circo, oppure di vita da scolari, di viaggi in treno, in nave o di misere esistenze in una Londra vittoriana, sporca di fuliggine e crudele, oppure di una Tokyo povera e infestata, si girano le pagine sperando che i buoni ce la facciano, quasi volendo tenerli per mano.
Sapevo che era il primo volume, eppure sono rimasta con un senso di sospensione al termine...
Lettura molto bella e appagante.
Non sapeva granché delle vecchie storie, storie sui morti che non erano morti e, ancora in vita, avevano varcato la soglia delle sale grigie; esercitavano talenti oscuri e avevano un aspetto mostruoso, una forza formidabile; erano creature in grado di attraversare porte e pareti e perfino la carne umana; creature di sogno, come i sogni invisibili alla luce del giorno.
July 2, 2022
What a great book! Set in the London of Jack the Ripper, Ordinary Monsters is one part Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children and one part Showtime's Penny Dreadful series. I loved it!
Some children are born with rare and unusual talents. Charlie Ovid is a teenager who has been executed three times for committing murder. Charlie won't stay dead and in fact, he hides his most prized possessions by burying them inside his body. Cutting things back out is painful, but it's worth it to keep his mother's ring safe. Marlow is 8, small for his age and glows blue. The book opens with his kidnapping as an infant to save him from a menacing figure. He's found in a train car and comes to be raised in a travelling circus by a strongwoman who has a powerful maternal instinct.
The start of the book - admittedly the slowest part - is focused on the boys' backstories and how they are eventually approached by Alice Quick and Frank Colton. These detectives explain that they track down children with "talents" and bring them back to the Cairndale Institute in Scotland, where they will be with other unusual children like themselves. Once Charlie and Marlow are brought together, the pace picks up and the development of their brotherly friendship goes to the big heart of this book.
Starting at this point, something actiony is always going on until the very last page. For me, the highlight was an incredible train chase involving the boys, the detectives, Marlow's guardian Britt, and two Big Bads that are creepy and compelling: Jacob Marber, a former talented child himself who has turned evil, and Walter, a childhood friend of Jacob's whom he's turned into a lich. J.M. Miro did a great job creating dread as we watch Jacob and Walter make their way through the train cars, searching for the children while the adults make heroic efforts to stop them.
One of my reading updates predicted Ordinary Monsters will make it as one of the biggest YA Fantasies of the year, and I stick by that. It will definitely make GR's Choice Awards, but the competition will be steep against Maas' House of Sky and Breath. It'll even be a tough call for me, but we'll see! Highly, highly recommended.
Some children are born with rare and unusual talents. Charlie Ovid is a teenager who has been executed three times for committing murder. Charlie won't stay dead and in fact, he hides his most prized possessions by burying them inside his body. Cutting things back out is painful, but it's worth it to keep his mother's ring safe. Marlow is 8, small for his age and glows blue. The book opens with his kidnapping as an infant to save him from a menacing figure. He's found in a train car and comes to be raised in a travelling circus by a strongwoman who has a powerful maternal instinct.
The start of the book - admittedly the slowest part - is focused on the boys' backstories and how they are eventually approached by Alice Quick and Frank Colton. These detectives explain that they track down children with "talents" and bring them back to the Cairndale Institute in Scotland, where they will be with other unusual children like themselves. Once Charlie and Marlow are brought together, the pace picks up and the development of their brotherly friendship goes to the big heart of this book.
Starting at this point, something actiony is always going on until the very last page. For me, the highlight was an incredible train chase involving the boys, the detectives, Marlow's guardian Britt, and two Big Bads that are creepy and compelling: Jacob Marber, a former talented child himself who has turned evil, and Walter, a childhood friend of Jacob's whom he's turned into a lich. J.M. Miro did a great job creating dread as we watch Jacob and Walter make their way through the train cars, searching for the children while the adults make heroic efforts to stop them.
One of my reading updates predicted Ordinary Monsters will make it as one of the biggest YA Fantasies of the year, and I stick by that. It will definitely make GR's Choice Awards, but the competition will be steep against Maas' House of Sky and Breath. It'll even be a tough call for me, but we'll see! Highly, highly recommended.
January 11, 2023
4.5
I was fortunate to receive an arc copy of Ordinary Monsters from @flatiron_books in January and I had no idea what to expect. Fantasy books aren’t really a genre you see much on my page, but I wanted to try something different and I’m really glad I did. I loved this book so much I went out and bought a finished copy because it has so much promise and my friend @bookaddictpnw let me know that the second book is set to be published in August 2023!
What did I love?
• There is a lot to love about this almost 800 page behemoth. There are some amazing characters, a few really amazing edge of your seat scenes with action and so much suspense. There is a LOT of creepiness. I mean A LOT. I got the shivers at some points in the book. There were also some really amazing twists and moments of wonderful emotion.
Why only 4 stars?
• I cannot even begin to understand the challenges of writing a book or telling a story like this, but I did get lost in some of the scenes that encompassed the last 20% of the book. It started to wrap up and things moved fast and I felt like I wasn’t comprehending things as well as I did in other sections of the book. This isn’t a criticism, but I was expecting a little more background on some of the magical aspects of the Talents, but since this is the first book, I’m hoping it will be explained later.
Overall, I highly recommend you try this. If audio is more your jam, I’ve heard the narrator really brings his A game as well. I’m a big believer in reading whatever type of book you want no matter what the time of year, so if you just can’t get enough of books that are perfect for #spookyseason - pick this up!
Publication Date: 06/07/2022
Review Date: 07/31/2022
I was fortunate to receive an arc copy of Ordinary Monsters from @flatiron_books in January and I had no idea what to expect. Fantasy books aren’t really a genre you see much on my page, but I wanted to try something different and I’m really glad I did. I loved this book so much I went out and bought a finished copy because it has so much promise and my friend @bookaddictpnw let me know that the second book is set to be published in August 2023!
What did I love?
• There is a lot to love about this almost 800 page behemoth. There are some amazing characters, a few really amazing edge of your seat scenes with action and so much suspense. There is a LOT of creepiness. I mean A LOT. I got the shivers at some points in the book. There were also some really amazing twists and moments of wonderful emotion.
Why only 4 stars?
• I cannot even begin to understand the challenges of writing a book or telling a story like this, but I did get lost in some of the scenes that encompassed the last 20% of the book. It started to wrap up and things moved fast and I felt like I wasn’t comprehending things as well as I did in other sections of the book. This isn’t a criticism, but I was expecting a little more background on some of the magical aspects of the Talents, but since this is the first book, I’m hoping it will be explained later.
Overall, I highly recommend you try this. If audio is more your jam, I’ve heard the narrator really brings his A game as well. I’m a big believer in reading whatever type of book you want no matter what the time of year, so if you just can’t get enough of books that are perfect for #spookyseason - pick this up!
Publication Date: 06/07/2022
Review Date: 07/31/2022
May 22, 2022
This is one of those books that lingers with you. I’ve seen it compared to pretty much all stories about children with supernatural gifts; The Umbrella Academy, X-Men, Miss Peregrines, etc and then crossed with the atmosphere and time of Penny Dreadful. That was enough to make me pick it up and it did not disappoint.
There’s a seemingly huge cast of characters but it primarily focuses on two orphaned children with unique talents and the people trying to bring them back to a school while also being hunted by others. It took a bit to grasp all of the cast but once I did, I was buckled in for the long haul. While this book seems dark and gritty, it also feels whimsical at times and as innocent as the children we follow. The story is long and involved but it never felt like a slog to me. The writing is rich and I can picture every single scene vividly. I will basically not shut up about this book for the foreseeable future. Apologies in advance.
There’s a seemingly huge cast of characters but it primarily focuses on two orphaned children with unique talents and the people trying to bring them back to a school while also being hunted by others. It took a bit to grasp all of the cast but once I did, I was buckled in for the long haul. While this book seems dark and gritty, it also feels whimsical at times and as innocent as the children we follow. The story is long and involved but it never felt like a slog to me. The writing is rich and I can picture every single scene vividly. I will basically not shut up about this book for the foreseeable future. Apologies in advance.
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