Review: 3.5 on the Masq Scale
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 11 19, 2013
Staci T's ReviewAn Ill Wind Blows is a horror/fantasy novel by Lori R. Lopez. Descriptions of this novel compare it to a darker version of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, and being a huge fan of Baum’s works, I couldn’t wait to read it. There are definitely comparisons to be made with respect to content and tone, as well as comparisons to Alice in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass, or more recently the Grey Griffins series. If you are a fan of fairy tales and a fan of horror stories, this might be the book for you.An Ill Wind Blows follows heroine Arletta Trimble (or Meezly, as she is called because of her diminutive stature) on a quest as she battles fantastic creatures—sometimes with the help of her best (and quirky) friends—one fateful, and seemingly endless, night. After her parents are presumed dead, a letter is sent to her from her father’s estate telling her their demise is likely the result of them coming into the possession of a stone that someone else will do anything to take from them, and she must—at all costs—protect that stone. A windstorm whisks Meezly, her friends, and many foes, away—and they all scramble to find the stone.This book is definitely action-driven. It almost becomes more about what horror Meezly will face next rather than whether she will get back home or get to the stone. And because Meezly has kind of a shortcut solution to solving her problems, readers don’t worry too much about the horrors she encounters because they know she’ll dispatch each quickly—which she always does. It would have been nice to have seen fewer horrors but have them take longer to solve, particularly if they were more central to the plot. That might have given more time to devote to the stone itself.Good characters, bad characters, or even gray, everything ties together in the end. An Ill Wind Blows is a fast-paced novel, and a pretty fast read. There is resurgence in the popularity of fairy tales these days, particularly the darker ones or twists on the traditions. Lopez isn’t far off the mark with her work. If you like horror, fantasy, and even a little humor thrown in, this is an easy read you might enjoy.Review Disclaimer: Book provided in exchange for an honest review.