Ludlow Lost (Osgoode Odyssey #1) by Kate Robinson Dunne
Release: October 10th 2017
Format: Ebook
Publisher: Two Pigeons Press
Source: NetGalley
Ludlow Lost Synopsis:
If you’re reading this, you’ve probably never had the bad fortune to be kidnapped and held captive by creatures human beings don’t believe in.
Ludlow Osgoode has not been as lucky as you.
Review:
A BIG Thank You to NetGalley and Two Pigeons Press for providing me a copy of “Ludlow Lost (Osgoode Odyssey #1)” by Kate Robinson Dunne in exchange for my review. I had mixed feelings about “Ludlow Lost”. There are some aspects of it that I really enjoyed and some aspects that made me disappointed in reading it.
Let’s start with the negative aspects. There are a few reasons why I gave this book only a three star rating. Firstly, the book gets a little monotonous towards the middle when Ludlow, Raghnall and Harry are lost at sea. Nothing really happens for a while, except for Ludlow meeting strange mythological creatures along the way. Furthermore, the author initiates about some really interesting subplots but it never materializes in the story. For example, what is the weejy weejy bird and why did it appear at times? Perhaps the author will explain all this in book two, but it still made me frustrated in not knowing.
Secondly, I did not find any of the characters to be engrossing. Most of the characters only reveal a bit about themselves, and as it is a short book, it’s hard to get invested in them. Also, I felt like Ludlow was boring and Harry was very annoying. The mermaid and Storey were somewhat interesting, but were hardly present in the book to be memorable. The only character I felt was complex and interesting was Raghnall. In fact, I would have loved it if this trilogy was about Raghnall’s life instead of Ludlow. It would have been so exciting to read about how Raghnall gets trapped in Morag’s clutches and becomes a goblin. Speaking of Morag, I didn’t find the villain to be someone who was scary, and at times she was comical.
Now to talk about the positive aspects. I loved the author’s style of writing. She has written this book in a very matter of fact way but with a whimsical touch. She has the perfect style for writing children’s stories and I would definitely love to read her future books. The author has also included some cute illustrations that add well to the chapters.
I also loved the concept of the book. True, it didn’t turn out the way I had expected, but it’s still a charming plot. It reminds me a lot of “Alice in Wonderland”, or the movie “Spirited Away”. Moreover, I really liked the way the book ended. It had a very surreal effect that made me want to look forward to book two coming in 2019. Overall, I liked “Ludlow Lost” but I felt that it could have been so much better! I am looking forward to reading book two when it releases.
