Rating: 
Summary: Beautifully Written
Review: The two bad points of this story, which contributed to it's lost star, I will go over first. First is the plot; the fact that Lissar would fall in love was predictable from the very beginning. Too predictable, in fact; "look, there's a prince who also loves dogs and is the only kind person to Lissar, I bet they'll turn out to be mortal enemies" is not what was running through my head. The second bad point was the confusing turn of events at the very end. Much went unexplained. But aside from those, the book was excellent. LIssar was very vivid and three-dimensional, and I was drawn into the story from the beginning. I recommend this to people over 14 years of age, though, because it is at times violent in more than one way.
Rating: 
Summary: Absolutely McKinley's best, regardless of critics' reviews
Review: This is a must-read for anyone who has even vaguely enjoyed any of either Robin McKinley's, Marion Zimmer Bradley's, or Anne Bishop's work. I cannot sing its praises loud enough. Be warned, it is dark and disturbing. However if, as a reader, you can get past the notion that incest doesn't happen to people, you WILL be touched by this book. Do not expect a fairy tale. Do not expect a dream world. If anything, this story is a nightmare. But PLEASE do not let that deter you. Read this book, if only to give yourself the gift of a good, purging cry. Lissar's story will break your heart, but in the end you, like her, feel stronger and more powerful. This book is not a story, it is a journey.
Rating:
Summary: i has to be my favorite book
Review: I thought this book was such a work of art that i reread it on numerous occasions. My boyfriend was running low on interesting literature, and i gave it to him to read. He laughed seeing the condition it was in from just my regular use and surprised me with a new copy for my birthday. It simply caught my heart. Robin McKinley wrote this novel with a passion that shows through every word, and i have not read a book that displays strenght so well. The novel twists you up into Lissar's tradgic life. The plot is powerful and moving with beautiful description. A person becomes enchanted with magic as they experience this great adventure into a world of wonderment and nightmares where strenght and hope pulls lissar through experiences where others would fail and willingly sucome to death. It will grow to mean somthing to you too, no matter what you read. It takes an immagination to kindoms and places covered with a mask of magical disguse. Thanks to my boyfriend i now have two copies to thrill my imagination and artistic tastes.
Rating:
Summary: This is one of my favorite books
Review: I loved this book, I love most of Robin Mckinleys books and one after another they lined up being my favorites. And though I have liked them all, I think this one sparkled!
Rating:
Summary: worthy of attention
Review: This book is thoughtful and effective. The story is heartwrenching and the plot is straightforward. There are a few instances when the author's wording makes the story a little confusing, but overall the storyline is clear. This book is not outstanding, but definately worthwhile.
Rating:
Summary: A Tragic Story....
Review: I am a big fan of McKinley works, especially The Blue Sword and The Hero and the Crown. But this book has to be one of my favorite books of all time. Contrary to many other reviews her actual lack of personality is what makes me feel so sorry for Lissar. The way she was brought up in her parents shadow never actually allowed her to develop one. I loved how the only reason she kept on going was because of her love for her dog Ash. I am 18 now, and first read this book when I was 12. I know this book is not for everyone, some people like to read perfection and happy happiness (not that I am adverse to it, I like to read a happy happy story sometimes too!), still, all in all, it made me cry, it made me feel, which I think is the point.
Rating: 
Summary: Boring and Dull
Review: I read this book because I have read several others by Robin McKinley and loved them. The only way to describe this book is bizarre. The ending makes no sense at all, and in fact, none of the book makes any sense. I don't understand it all. The story line doesn't capture the imagination. It became a chore to read the book. She has white hair after the "Moonwoman" changed her hair color, why? Then she regains it after she confronts her father, why? Why does she even confront her father? Then there is about ten pages of blood, light, crying, etc. After the end, I had no clue what had just happend. .... Ms. McKinley was trying to make the book interesting to adult readers and failed. Stick to the books she wrote for children!
Rating:
Summary: Haunting...
Review: This book has a subtle strength and a quiet beauty that
will leave you gasping for breath and begging for
more. It quietly tells it's often dark tell with such poetry
and magic innundating every single word until you are
woven into the fiber of the story. I have read it many
times, and expect to read it many more. Hautingly beautiful, breathtakingly sad, it will capture your heart, break it to pieces and leave you wanting more. it is a dark, dangerous fantasy filled with subtle beauty and painful awe. when i first read it, it thought it started a little slowly, but soon i was drawn in to a world i didn't want to escape from though it was often filled with pain and anguish. definetly not for the younger reader, this is a tale you will want to read again and again once it catches hold of you.
Rating:
Summary: Utter beauty...
Review: This book has a subtle strength and a quiet beauty that will leave you gasping for breath and begging for more. It quietly tells it's often dark tell with such poetry and magic innundating every single word until you are woven into the fiber of the story. I have read it many times, and expect to read it many more.
Rating:
Summary: Hauntingly Familiar, Heavenly Writing
Review: Robin McKinley has really outdone herself! This novel is beautifully written and achingly poignant, however it does deal with "adult" themes and can be quite disturbing at times. I would not recommend it to children, nor, perhaps young adults. This said however, "Deerskin" is perhaps one of the best retelling of Fairy Tales out there. The story follows McKinley's penchant for retelling Fairy Tales, this story is hauntingly familiar and very much like "The Porcupine Princess" a story of a young princess who escapes from her palace home and her father, the king, because of his horrifying announcement. In "The Porcupine Princess" the young princess inadvertantly tries on the ring of her dead mother, a ring that was bequeathed to the king with the stipulation that whomever the ring fits will become his next wife. When the ring fits the young princess the king has no choice but to announce that he will marry his own daughter. The princess flees and hides herself within a porcupine disguise.Robin McKinley's "Deerskin" is much more indepth and a lot more substantial. Lissla Lissar the beautiful princess in this story is also to wed her father but her father is a man who is obsessed with her beauty because it reminds him of his deceased wife. He brutalizes his daughter and leaves her for dead, she escapes and finds santuary in the woods where she "changes" into the images of a doe...her hair turns white and she wears a white deerskin dress. Eventually Lissla Lissar finds her way to another kingdom where she meets and falls in love with the Prince Ossin, but she can never truly be his until she deals with her demons from the past.... Robin McKinley has taken a lesser-known fairy tale and transformed it into a serious, well written and very disturbing read. I couldn't put it down, I truly cried with rage at what happened to Lissla Lissar and bit my nails with anticipation at how her story would end. For anyone who wants to be transported to another world this is the book for you, however it is not for the faint of heart.
|
