Tuesday 28 February 2012

The Star Shard by Frederic S. Durbin

Title: The Star Shard
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Published: Feb 28th 2012
ISBN: 978-0547370255

Rating: 3/5


I love the colours used on the cover of this.

Thunder rake is a moving city.  Cymbril is a slave living onboard – her everyday life consists of singing to the crowds at the Rakes markets.  
Cymbril doesn’t know much about herself, or her history, so when Loric the fae gets bought by her master she is drawn to him, and finds out more about her background.

I found most of the story to be predictable, and didn’t really feel any connection to the characters - but bear in mind this is a middle grade novel, so there's no violence, and a little bit of a thriller element thrown in.  I liked the Strongarms, friendly giant people who keep the Rake moving, and are also Cymbrils friends.   I would have liked a few surprises and more depth to the characters.  The book was a quick read.

Book synopsis:
Twelve-year-old Cymbril is a slave on the Thunder Rake, a city that is an enormous wagon, rolling on gigantic wheels. With her companions the cats, Cymbril loves to explore the endless, shadowy corridors and ancient decks, where secrets lie hidden. Her task is to sing for the entertainment of crowds whenever the Rake stops at a town to sell its merchants’ goods. Together with her mysterious new friend Loric, a Fey boy, Cymbril plans to escape. Witches and a fat frog watch her every step, and something huge and sinister pads in the dark when all the Rake is asleep. One chance to get away draws near; time is running out. Cymbril is haunted by the past, drawn toward the future by the fragment of a star . . . but first she must survive the present.

Source - Netgalley

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