Review of the Week (3/27/2016)

Rosehead by Ksenia Anske
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
On Amazon

What if Alice wasn't a naive girl who happened to fall down a rabbit hole? What if, instead, she was the ADD/ADH 12-year-old Lilith who presumes herself to be Sherlock Holmes investigating a dangerous and dark mystery? What if she also had a talking whippet named Panther whose depth of sarcastic commentary makes him a better Watson to Lilith's Holmes.

Flesh-eating garden, insane grandfather, and a lot of people who thinks Lilith needs more meds. Eventually, with the help of Panther and a mute boy named Ed, Lilith will reveal the dark family secret.

Nitpick: There's quite a bit of repetition. Yes, we know Opa is evil! You don't need to tell us 20 times. Like the rose bushes in the story, some trimming is required. But even that doesn't detract from a really great book.

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BONUS REVIEW FOR KSENIA

The Afterlife by Ksenia Anske
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I picked up The Afterlife on a 99 cent deal after reading and very much enjoying Ksenia Anske's "Rosehead."

I also bought the other two books in the series. Unfortunately, I started reading this third book, rather than the first of the series. But it worked out fine because I was not confused in the slightest about the plot and previous events. This means that the author handled the transition so well, I didn't need to read books 1 and 2. I will, of course, since I want to know more about Ailan's life. I have the big picture, now I can go back to enjoy the details.

Ms. Anske's writing is superb. What can I say except that I felt I wanted to highlight many passages for the sheer poetry of the writing. I neglected the actual highlighting on my Kindle, now I'm sorry that I didn't share great passages with others.

My recommendation is to start with the first book, then give yourself time to savor the writing. It's worth it.

I do not hand out five stars lightly. I am giving this book the full number because it deserves it. I hope many others will enjoy Ksenia Anske's skilled turn of phrase and emotional depth surpassing most of the Young Adult fantasy offerings today. Ailan is no vapid teen panting after a supernatural being. She is the supernatural being. I would dearly love to beat her father's head in on an anvil with a really big hammer. That's how much I care.

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