Friday, June 25, 2010

Another Faust


Another Faust
by Daniel and Dina Nayeri
2009
400 pages

"Where would you find five lost children after so many years gone by?”

Summary: On a single night, 5 children go missing only to appear years later at a New York Christmas party in tow of the mysterious and beautiful governess Madame Vileroy. By using their special gifts, the Faust children take the elite Marlowe School by force, getting everything they desire. Victoria has the power to read people’s thoughts, Christian can steal people’s talents, Belle is so beautiful she’s addicting, Bice can stop time and Valentin can control time, going back and forward. Despite all their success, they soon learn that Madame Vileroy’s gifts have strings attached and there are just some deals you can’t get out of.

Review: Another Faust was gripping. I found the children’s greed insatiable and their willingness to go to any desperate measure compelling. While some reviews have found the characters flat and one dimensional, I thought they were rich and vibrant. Each character was completely unique and in complete harmony with the others. They each reflected some vary basic truths about human nature, our fears and desires, and thus were completely captivating. I thought there was great progression of character development and that this was in perfect timing with the plot developments. While it can be difficult to follow so many main characters and the layout of the story was at times jagged, I thought it perfectly created. I enjoyed the interwoven back story and the Faust references. Overall, I found this a wonderfully enjoyable read and, contrary to some reviews, feel that the appeal goes beyond just those interested in Gossip Girls.

You might enjoy Another Faust if you like books with: multiple main characters, a fight between good and evil, paranormal elements, focus on plot

Other books by Daniel & Dina Nayeri: A second “Another” book called Another Pan is set to be released in October 2010

If you liked Another Faust you might also enjoy: Gorgeous by Rachel Vail, The Betrayal of Natalie Hargrove by Kate Lauren, Bewitching Season by Marissa Doyle, Secret Society by Tom Dolby

Additional Info: The Original German Faust: Faust by Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe

Author’s website found here.

Rating: W4/4 C4/4 P4/4 O4/4 PP3.5/4 CR4/4
Grade: S

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