Emily Bain MurphyCritiques

Though Marit herself has aged out of the Danish orphanage system, her almost-little sister Eve has caught the eye of a former ballerina who wishes to adopt her, and Marit is also asked to join the household as a seamstress. The two girls are delighted and relieved at the possibility of staying together. However, Marit is also keeping a few secrets: She has never revealed to Eve her magical abilities for fear of frightening her, and their new family, the Vestergaards, own the mines where her her father's mysterious death occurred, and Marit wants answers.

This standalone teen novel was an entertaining palate cleanser, and I liked the writing style, though it wasn't as much of a page turner as I was maybe expecting. It has lovely cover art, and I love the idea that someone may have embroidered the design just for this book. One area in which I feel the author stumbled was in being uncommitted to the language the characters spoke (Danish or English?). Danish terms are sprinkled throughout the text, which is fun, but then in one scene Marit fondly recalls the way in which Eve used to mispronounce "upside down." The singling out of this very non-Danish phrase felt a little odd. Recommended overall, possibly enjoyed more by readers who can keep themselves from overanalyzing. :)

Cora and Jack have a history. Jack and his brother are inmates at an Alcatraz type island prison for murder and Cora is the young daughter of an administrator there. There is a mutual attraction. The brothers are able to escape and the novel fast forwards to decades in the future.The two meet again at the estate of a wealthy man who has an unsavory reputation. There are many people working and staying at the estate and the tale proceeds from here into an Agatha Christie type mystery,

“Mrs. Clifton, may your dreams be filled with stars and not with shadows.” I was lucky enough to get a copy from the publisher for review.

I am not normally a fan of historical fiction, but this sounded interesting. It grabbed my attention from chapter one, and I am glad I gave it a chance. The beginning was very addictive and I did not want to put it down.

What would you do if you started to lose things we take for granted? What if you could not smell or see your reflection? I really enjoyed seeing on the characters start finding out about the disappearances. I also like the suspense knowing a new disappearance is coming soon.

This is the debut novel for Emily Bain Murphy, and she did an amazing job. I loved her writing style, and I cannot wait to see what else she brings to us in the future.

I loved this book, and I am honestly surprised it is not more popular!

The basic premise/backbone of the story is not all that unique. There is a location where a few towns are cursed and people are being blamed for the curse, finally, the heroine sets out to discover why the towns are cursed and how it can be removed. As I said, not all that unique. BUT, the unique details that this book brings add flesh, blood, and life to that backbone and the end product is something very intriguing and enjoyable to read from start to finish.

For example, I loved the concept for this curse, where the town and everyone in it are slowly degrading, losing something every 7 years, like their sense of smell and being able to see stars. I also liked that the towns did not just give up after being cursed and found ways to combat the curse through variants, if only for a short time. The part of this book that I enjoyed the most was the link that was created to Shakespeare and his work, it was so cool to read and follow as Aila unravelled!

Also, Will and Aila were pretty cute!

3.5 Stars

History but make it magic
Using magic as an allegory for over-working people etc. It's been done before and while it was mostly good, I think I've read too many of these to be the right audience.

A standalone!! Hallelujah!

Bain's world is well realized and solid, with interesting magical abilities (I'm a sucker for thread magic). The love between Eve and Marit is obvious and touching, even though Eve isn't much of a character. The romantic relationship isn't given enough page time and so is abrupt when it happens.

In 19th century Denmark, Merit has a secret. She's an orphan with the power of magic, which she fears to reveal due to exploitation. Those with magic can only use so much. If they dig too deep, the blood turns into ice in their veins, killing them. After watching her own sister die that way, Merit has vowed to only use her magic for emergencies.

But when the orphan she loves like a sister, Eve, gets adopted by a wealthy ballet dancer, Merit can't bear to let her go alone. Instead, she uses her magic to impress the woman and get hired on at her home. The woman's husband owned the mine where Merit's father died, and she struggles with her conflicting feelings about the family, even as her past helps her discover the family's biggest secret.

I liked the tension between having this wonderful power, but if you use it too much, even to save yourself or someone you love, you could die. That made this book a page turner. At its core, this book is about the love between sisters, though Merit and a fellow servant, Jakob, share some romantic moments. I loved how real the relationship between Merit and Evie felt, even as they dealt with challenges and misunderstandings.

This book combined my two favorite genres - historical and fantasy - and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Aila and her brother, Miles, are sent to their deceased mother's hometown to live while their father goes to war. Taken in by their mother's best friend, they find that many others in the town are not as friendly. Every seven years something disappears for the townspeople. There are no scents, no one has a reflection, no one dreams, and the stars do not shine overhead. Some have discovered remedies that bring back the sensations for a time, but no one knows what caused the "curse" or how to fix it. But there is plenty of blame to go around. Two stories are told alternately, that eventually come together in the end.

I did like this one. I'm not sure why it had to be set in the past, it felt like that was just a method to get rid of the other parent. At first I was annoyed by the side/alternate story line, but as the book went on I was drawn into it also.

A dandy fantasy set in 1800's Denmark. Marit lost her mother, then her father and finally her sister, leaving her an orphan. Dad was killed in a mining accident, her sister succumbed to Firn, a residue that crystallizes the blood, then the entire body when a person uses too much magic.
After she ages out of the orphanage, her focus is on doing whatever she can to protect Eve, a girl she befriended and loves like a sister. On the night Eve is adopted by a wealthy former orphan and ballerina, Marit manipulates a tear, then uses her seamstress magic to fix the woman's torn coat and asks for a job as her seamstress in return. That leads to her joining a large staff of servants in the Copenhagen manor owned by the woman. At first, there's resentment, even hostility from the other servants, but as she begins to fit in and start probing in an effort to discover whether her father's death was really an accident, bonding happens and the more she learns, the more dangerous things become for all who live there. It's a great plot with intriguing magic, plot twists and plenty of action, particularly toward the end. That conclusion is particularly masterful and makes this a perfect story for YA fantasy lovers.

“Life itself is the most wonderful fairy tale.”

Murphy you have a new fan. I have to admit that the cover is what drew me in. Didn’t even look at the synopsis just saw the magical words “YA Historical fiction” and knew I wanted to read this beauty.
This was everything I needed it to be. In Denmark in the 19th century magic is seen as an infliction. As magic is used it leaves behind an ice-like build-up in the veins called the Firn. After the loss of her father and sister, Marit befriends Eve at the orphanage who becomes like a sister to her. Hiding her abilities from Eve she does everything in her power to find Eve a forever home until one day the Vestergaard family adopts little Eve. There’s only one problem, her family is dead because of the Vestergaards.

This was such an intoxicating read. There is mystery, history, magic and connection that sucks you in and when you finally come up to breathe you just want to relive it all over again. Marit has a tragic past like most orphans we meet in YA reads. I liked how her past is what drives the mystery behind the Vestergaards. She has a well-crafted MC mold with a flawed and closed off persona that blossoms as she finds her place in life. Murphy did a wonderful job fleshing out each of the characters (even the minuscule ones) to the point you feel as if you have known them all for eternity.

The world building is set in 19th century Denmark and you can easily imagine yourself walking the dilapidated streets of the poor and the avenues for the wealthy. The magic system ties in to the location and war wrought era. It’s a simple magic that is easy to follow. Only towards the end did I question a few things but it all still fits.

I highly recommend this read to individuals who enjoy young adult novels with a bit of magic and mystery tied into historical fiction. Thank you Emily Bain Murphy and HMH Books for Young Readers for the ability to read and review this novel for an honest and unbiased opinion.

The Disappearances by Emily Bain Murphy is a very intriguing book! It's about two siblings that have to go live with their mother's childhood friend when their mother died. Their father was called to war. This was in the early 1940's. The family and town they live in now is very strange. The family is very loving and nice but has secrets. The town hates the new kids. Slowly things are revealed but not all. Every seven years the people lose something, they never know what! The seven years are up and they are worried about what they will lose this time!
Great twists and turns! Great fantasy world! I was just going to read a little then sleep but ended up reading until I finished it! I couldn't stop!

This book was... amazing. I adore the World War II era so much so when I saw this book took place during that time and had an interesting plot line, I just knew I had to buy it. And this book didn't disappoint. I mean, different things vanishing from three small towns every seven years for no reason? How could that not make you want to pick this book up and find out why? First it was everyone's sense of smell. Then it was the stars being taken from the sky, then everyone's reflections and the colors from ink and paint. It was like clockwork for these towns and no one born there could escape it. The Disappearances followed them no matter where they went. Visitors to the town temporarily lost everything as well. But the towns had a way to make up for these loses with Varients, little pouches of dust that could temporarily bring back what was lost. I had to know what brought about this curse and why. By the end of the book, I still couldn't piece it all together. However, it all came together and the author answered all of the questions I might've had.
And there were the characters. I loved almost all of them. They were all so different and the cute romance that slowly develops through the book had me smiling.
There were some twists and turns I didn't see coming and I could easily sympathize for the characters. I can't imagine having to live life without some of these things that the towns went without or had very little of with the Varients. All in all, this book was amazing. I loved every second of it. I wouldn't call it a slow book by any means but it definitely picks up with the last hundred or so pages. It's definitely one of my favorites now. And despite the mystery of it being gone now, I think it's a book I'd definitely enjoy reading again. Considering I almost never reread books, I'd say that says a lot about this particular one.

I finished The Disappearances couple of days back... It had just the right amount of magic and appropriate amount of mystery. It's a historical-fiction young-adult novel about a town where something--sense of smell, colours, reflections, stars, music, etc--disappears every seven years and no ones know why... There's your magical mystery! The protagonist is the daughter of the supposed-catalyst of this phenomenon and it's her story of fitting in and trying to find some answers. Since it's is YA, there is a sprinkle of romance which is always welcome ::wink::wink::

What I loved is the premise that how the things we take for granted can disappear from our lives... Just like that... And while everyone can enjoy it for free, we have to pay for the same. I also enjoyed figuring out the literary clues, however far-fetched they seemed. So, I would say, it was a good breezy-read - ⭐⭐⭐⭐

P.S. I was giggling like a school girl when Will admitted that he can't hear Aila either. To understand what I mean, read the book.

Another audiobook listen in the car with my kids. Unlike the last one, this one got 👍🏻all around. Refreshing for YA. Strong female protagonist without any kind of special powers or beauty and who makes mistakes, but still succeeds. Unique mystery that weaves in Shakespeare and clues from his life and plays. This kept our interest and had a satisfying ending.

It's been a long time since I've been as intrigued and sucked into a mystery book. YA magical realism, at first, sounded silly to me and I only picked this up because it's a book club read but OH MAN I am SO glad I did!!! The story sucked me in and kept me hooked from the start. The mystery the main characters had to solve wasn't overshadowed by romance, teen angst or ridiculous magic but rather was shrouded in a mysterious curse that was unique and interesting to solve with them! I really enjoyed this read and I want the mystery solved but not for the book to end!

This was such an amazing novel and I'm so glad I got an ARC of this! The author has created such a unique story that I was never bored for a minute! First off, the plot was just fantastic. I was already intrigued by the idea of different senses and elements disappearing, but once the author brought in Shakespeare, it was a done deal for me. I loved how the author weaved all of these different components to create such an awesome cohesive piece of work. I liked that there were segments of the story told from a different perspective, as that just added to the intrigue. I loved all of the characters in the story and Aila is definitely a great main character! My only slight complaint would be that WWII didn't really have much of an impact in the story; since the author chose that specific time period for her setting, I wish it had had more relevance to the story. Overall, this was an amazing YA fiction story and I would recommend it to anyone who loves YA fantasy because you will NOT be disappointed!

I received this novel as an advanced copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

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Literary Merit: Good
Characterization: Good
Recommended: Highly
Level: Young Adult

Enjoyable mystery for teens with a little flair of references to Shakespeare.

No one knows what caused these “Disappearances,” or what will slip away next. Scents of flowers and food, reflections from mirrors and lakes, even the ability to dream--vanish every seven years. Did the curse start with Aila’s mother? Does the town of Sterling now blame Aila? This book is a dual narrative mystery.

When her father heads overseas to fight in World War II, Aila, along with her younger brother Miles, is sent off to the town of Sterling, her mother's hometown, to live with a long-ago friend of her mother's. Approximately one year has passed since her mother's death, and Aila is still struggling to come to terms with it. Upon arriving in Sterling, Aila and her brother soon realize that there is something odd about the town, and the community's reception of her is rather cool and somewhat puzzling. She soon learns that the town loses something every seven years. These "disappearances" include such things as scents, reflections, stars, & dreams. The townspeople don't understand why these disappearances occur, but they do tend to associate them in some respect to Aila's mother, although no one can explain to Aila exactly why or how. Aila soon realizes that she didn't really know her mother as well as she thought she did, and she sets out to discover some of her secrets, as well as attempting to find out more about the root of the disappearances.

This book has gotten good reviews and the cover art is striking and appealing. However, I struggled to really become immersed in the story. While the story line was unique, the first half of the novel was a bit slow. I found portions of it confusing and not altogether cohesive. The novel would probably be classified as magical realism, which is a genre I enjoy if done well, but I just couldn't fully enjoy this one. Perhaps some aspects were just too unbelievable for me. I also was a little bothered by some of the dialogue, which didn't seem to quite "fit" with a 1940's time period. The ending, too, seemed a bit abrupt and not fleshed out as well as it could've been. I didn't really dislike this book, but I was disappointed overall based on the many 5-star reviews I've seen.

Yes! I've found a new favorite. My favorite thing about this book was the strong and reliable protagonist, I found in Aila. Of course sometimes Aila faltered in her confidence, but with what she was going through and the unexpected legacy she had to deal with made it that more believable that life was not always so hunky-dory for her. Aila's strength showed in the way she was able to always pick herself up and get back on track. I could only just imagine the research that went into making this book really come together in such a smart concept. And add in a thrilling mystery to solve, the subtle but amazing elements of magic, inspiring and quirky characters, fantastic storytelling by Ms. Murphy, I found myself drawn in to a world that awakens with charm and curiosity as it builds and yes, made me smile. Oh, and the fact that it was also an historical time period novel made the story even more endearing. I just love it.

The Disappearances is an engaging story with an intriguing premise. Watching Juliet maneuver through her new environment and experience the loss of certain abilities makes you notice all of the little things that utilize our five senses daily. It is a reminder to never take for granted our ability to see and hear, smell and touch, yet the story is not just about the loss of certain niceties but about the dangers of secrets and the lasting consequences of keeping secrets can have on a person, a family, and a town.

While I enjoyed the novel, one thing irked me about one of the Disappearances. It is a minor thing but it bothered me so much that it kept taking me out of the story. The townspeople of Sterling lost their ability to smell things and yet they seemingly can still taste everything. In fact, there are several scenes that revolve around meals, and Ms. Murphy makes it seem as if the townspeople compensate for the lack of scent by creating delicious and enticing meals. However, it is common knowledge that smell is one of the primary factors of taste. Anyone who has ever had clogged sinuses can attest to the blandness of food when you can’t smell anything. While this is a small detail that in no way impacts the overall story, it still bothers me because it ignores basic science. Good fantasy novels may play with the laws and theories of science but they do not ignore basic knowledge. Not only that but if Ms. Murphy did acknowledge the impact to taste that the lack of scent has, it would make the Disappearances more serious. It would change the entire dynamic of the story.

I find it interesting that Ms. Murphy chose to set her novel during World War II. As the war is a peripheral event occurring outside of the town, making itself felt only in the absence of Juliet’s father and the length of time between letters, this is a story that really could have occurred at any point in history. Indeed, outside of descriptions of clothes and hairstyles, plus some minor adjustments to speech and manners, Juliet and her fellow classmates have a timeless quality to their actions and thoughts. My theory is that it has to do with the lack of technology; towns could keep secrets like the Disappearances from outsiders because no one had smartphones to document the lack of stars or inability to see reflections. Still, if anyone has a chance to see Ms. Murphy on tour, I would love to ask her what exactly where her reasons for selecting this particular setting and this particular period in time because it seems such an arbitrary choice.

In spite of what it may sound like given what I have written so far, I did thoroughly enjoy The Disappearances. It is easy to like Juliet as she struggles to fit in to her new surroundings. We have all been the new kid at some point in time, and those feelings of isolation and embarrassment never really leave us. On top of that, her longing to understand her mother and keep her alive are not just understandable but palpable. At the same time, it is refreshing to see her relationship with her brother as fraught with frustration mixed with love. They fight often and may be slow to reconcile, but that is a true sibling relationship – something I feel is not as realistically portrayed often enough. In general, I found Juliet to be very real, reminding me of my own teen years and frustrations about fitting in as well as fights with my brother.

The story of the Disappearances is interesting but distracting. The aside chapters involving Stephen are confusing in their rambling nature. While they end of revealing more of the story behind the Disappearances, there is a stream-of-consciousness aspect to these chapters which muddle as much as they clarify. While the search for the source of the Disappearances is a major focus for Juliet, I cannot help but feel that the true story of the novel is Juliet’s hunt for answers about her mother and the growing up she needs to do now that her mother has passed for I got more satisfaction from watching Juliet come into her own than I did watching her solve the mystery.

The Disappearances is not the type of story to garner acclaim or media attention. This makes it no less enjoyable though. Juliet is endearing, and Sterling is charming in its quaintness, although that may have to do with the time period more than the locale. The mystery of the Disappearances and the ways the townspeople have worked to overcome them are intriguing, but it is watching Juliet grow where the story becomes most entertaining. It is the type of novel that will appeal to readers who enjoy coming-of-age stories with a touch of magic.

Great read!

Well-crafted, well-written mystery. Reminiscent of the whimsy and mysticism of the writings of Maggie Stiefvater and Jennifer Murgia, The Disappearances is beautifully captivating. The narrative unfolds the mystery at a steady pace that builds the anticipation of the reader.

I am impressed.

Full review at Whatever You Can Still Betray.½

I received this book from NetGalley and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Children's Book Group in exchange for my honest review.

FIVE STARS ALL AROUND!!

This book is spot on! The mystery is great and very well told. There wasn't any of that dead space that feels like the author is just trying to up their page count. We get a perfect amount of background history along with the main story and it is a STAND ALONE!! Yay! It is so hard to find a stand alone that can give you this much band for its buck.

I was shocked and surprised so many times by this book and fell in love with the characters.

I highly recommend this book to everyone. This is one of my top three of the year!!