Eyes Like Stars

Eyes Like Stars by Lisa Mantchev

Book 85 of 100 for the 100+ Reading Challenge
Book 18 of 50 for the New Author Challenge
Series: Act 1 of The Theatre Illuminata

My rating: 2 of 5 stars

This book started out great. I was totally lost at first, but that added to the initial appeal for me. Once I got my bearings, I was enchanted by the conceptual creativity of this book. But then it just didn't work cohesively enough to keep me interested.

Beatrice (Bertie) Shakespeare Smith lives in the theatre. In fact, her bedroom is actually a set on the stage, and her friends are the fairies from A Midsummer Night's Dream. The theatre is a magical place with it's own powers. But Beatrice has no real purpose there, and she is often in trouble for the pranks she pulls. So the Theatre Manager gives her an ultimatum. She must find something to do in the theatre that makes her invaluable, or she is kicked out on the street to make her way alone.

So, why didn't I love it? Well, there's a few things. Once I felt I had the magic/fantasy "rules" of the book worked out, they changed. And I never got comfortable with the fact that Bertie seemed so world-wise for her 17 years--wearing jeans, dying her hair blue, smoking, drinking, cursing--if she had never been outside and experienced the real world as a teenager. And there were too many plotlines with large holes, and stuff was happening so unreasonably fast that I just couldn't buy into it.

I almost gave this book 3 stars because it is so unique. But in the end, it really was just OK for me. Fantasy lovers and Shakespeare fans will probably adore this book. Eyes Like Stars has gotten rave reviews, and I'm definitely in the minority with my feelings. I hope you'll check out some of these other reviews:

• Becky's Book Reviews
• In Bed With Books
• Karin's Book Nook
• reading is my superpower
• A Patchwork of Books
• Presenting Lenore
• Sarah's random musings
• Hope's Bookshelf
• Melissa's Bookshelf

Did I miss yours?