Chime

A world of the Old Ones

My thoughts...Chime is a unique story full of folklore and magic. I have mixed opinions of the book, while there were some strong elements, another huge part left me at a loss.

The plot and character development in Chime were brilliantly done. The characters were very unique. The heroine, Briony is convinced she is an evil witch. She does not allow herself to experience happiness, pride, or anything that a normal girl her age would experience. She carries around a block of grief and regret that practically sinks her into the swamp she is surrounded by. Her sister Rose has the traits of an autistic learner, and Briony is her keeper. Readers will fall for the charming Eldric. He has the bad-boy appeal with a worldly knowledge. It is no wonder Briony quickly falls for him, despite her best efforts. The other characters in the book are mainly magical beings. While there isn't much direct interaction with them, they play a significant role. The beings are complex and mysterious. I would love to read more in this world to learn more about the beings and their legends.

The plot of Chime is very well crafted. While there is some predictability, I was amazed at how everything came together in the end. The legends of the swamp really made for an interesting story. These legends are real to the characters; the witches can be seen doing "witchy" things, and waves seemingly come out of nowhere. There was quite a bit of mystery infused with the characters lives. Readers will also find a touch of romance, and a few scenes that are a bit scary. Overall, the story is very well rounded and interesting.

My only issue with Chimed was I really struggled with the dialect of the characters. The story takes place in Old England in a time of witch hunts and persecution. The language in the book fits, but it took me a long time to adjust to it. It was distracting and I found myself rereading to understand the conversations. It just seemed the disrupt the flow of the story (in my opinion). However, this did not keep me from continuing to read and enjoying the story.

4 out of 4 people found this review helpful.

Wonderful and Unique!

Briony is a witch, and everything bad that has happened to her family (including her sister's accident, which left her mentally handicapped, and her stepmother's arsenic poisoning, which no one really knows if it was murder or suicide) is Briony's fault. Her stepmother made it very clear that it was her witchy ways that have caused their family grief, and if she wants to keep herself from being hanged by the townspeople, she needs to stay away from the bog. No more talking to the "Old Ones", or various monsters that dwell in the bogs of Swampsea unless she wants more bad things to happen.

Briony manages to keep her distance and ignore the voices of the spirits that call to her, but after the arrival of Eldric, a young man who has come to live with she and her family, things begin to change. One evening, Briony's sister goes missing, and Briony has no choice but to go after her. Rose is her responsibility, and if anything bad happens to her, Briony will never forgive herself. When she and Eldric enter the bogs to search for Rose, the spirits start talking, once again engraving themselves in her mind. This is the same night that she, Eldric and the rescue crew see the three witches in the swamp. The town begins searching for the witches, and when found, the Chime Child, a being that lives half in the human world and half with the spirits, will help determine whether or not the accused are actually witches and if they should be hanged. Once the Chime Child is called, will Briony be able to keep her secrets hidden, or will her own witchy ways be revealed?

In Chime, Franny Billingsley has crafted the most unusual story I have read in a very long time. She writes with a very distinct voice which makes Briony, and the town and townspeople of Swampsea, very engaging characters. There is plenty of mystery, romance and paranormal events to keep the pages turning. The only issue I had with the book was the love triangle that occurs. It felt unnecessary, but it didn't detract from the story too much. I am now a huge fan of Ms. Billingsley's and can't wait to read more of her work. One note on the writing: It is very different and takes a bit to get used to, but once you've immersed yourself in the rhythm, you are in for a heck of a ride. The rhythm and placement of words and phrases is what makes the book so unique. I highly recommend this novel to anyone looking for a paranormal book that is different from any of the other paranormal stories out there today.

3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

A Let Down

the setting is interesting,the time confusing,and the love story just horrbly developed,like most of the characters. Briony is the only full character in the story, but she is SOOO self-loathing. I mean, I understand she's depressed, but i hated being inside her head. the only character i liked was sweet little Rose, but she had too little a part in the story to stand out in the midst of her depressing sister and father, the weird townspeople, and boring Eldric.

i was glad to read about 10 pages, but then had to force myself through another 70 before giving up.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

dont!

by far one if the worst books ive ever read.. set in like old times but meets new time? there is no excitmemt. domt waste your money. terrible terrible terribe book.

1 out of 4 people found this review helpful.

Mystery, suspense, romance, tension

Great read, I found myself deeply engrossed in the characters and language. The writer's style is fresh, unique, but familiar enough that we can read it without fumbling. Though at points the character's arguments with herself felt redundant, the author had crafted her mind with such wit that it was still interesting. The tale has great action and a nice surprise that you may or may not be able to pick on as you read. I loved her twin, and I loved her and everything else about the story. You'll enjoy it because things are not what they seem and it'll definitely keep your interest high.

It's a great storyline, and it's definitely not your teen angsty

It's a great storyline, and it's definitely not your teen angsty vampire novel, but it's written very dully and slow, with lanuage that's hard to understand.

Unique and charming

Chime is a unique, charming tale. They prose isn't typically what you would find in a paranormal YA. As a matter of fact, I'm not sure I would put Chime entirely in that genre, with its dashes of steampunk, historical fiction and magical realism influences.

It took me a hot minute to get into because of the writing style, but once I did I was hooked. Briony is depressed and self-loathing, yet charming, hilarious and loving at the same time. She is a well-written, complex character, whose sense of duty and guilt keeps her in a perpetual state of mental anguish.

Briony's love interest, Eldric, is one of the best written male protagonists I have seen in a long time. He's charming, funny, patient, intelligent and thoughtful. Their relationship is slowly developed and by the end, I was as in love with him as Briony (instead of scowling and annoyed as I can sometimes get over typical YA males/stalkers).

Magical elements come into play via the town's swamp and its cast of characters such as: The Boogey Mun, witches, the Chime Child, Dead Hand, Mucky Face Brownie and Bleeding Hearts and many more.

The mysteries of Chime were easy enough to figure out, but revealed in a calculated way that I enjoyed. Instead of being frustrated that the characters haven't figured out the secrets yet, I was anxious to see how everything turned out.

In Chime, Billingsley has produced an amazing little gem of a novel and I'm keeping my fingers crossed for a sequel.

Anon

Awful and slow

Great!

Very enjoyable.

Crazy Beautiful Prose

I LOVE Briony and Eldric and I was completely taken with the prose in this novel! This was a great read!

Reviewed by Monica Sheffo for TeensReadToo

Briony deserves to be hanged. Or so she desperately believes. Following the sudden death of her beloved stepmother, Briony and her mentally disturbed sister, Rose, find themselves under the scrutiny of the villagers in the Swampsea. But Briony has a secret. She is a witch, forbidden to go into the swamps she loves so much. When young Eldric moves into her home, she finds herself with a new friend and secret keeper. Can Briony keep her powers at bay, or will they lead to her demise? Franny Billingsley provides readers with an enchanting story of a young witch struggling to come to terms with her powers. While at times the plot line can be confusing, fans of paranormal and fantasy novels will consider CHIME a treasure.

0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

A great read with a great heroine!

Chime is an interesting twist on the current paranormal fare. It's set in an unspecified past when England is in a kind of transitional phase. The Old Ones are still around, but they're being pushed back into disappearing wild places, such as the swamp that is being drained behind Briony's home. Her little town with its busy pub across from the gallows and Briony, the beautiful daughter of the town preacher who's being pursued by a handsome but dumb local guy, were comfortably recognizable. The addition of Eldric, the handsome AND charming son of a family friend, made me think I knew what I was in for. In a good way.

But I was wrong. I had no idea what a treat I was in for when I met Briony. She's smart and sarcastic and employs just the right kind of self-depreciating-but-everyone-else-is-annoying-too humor. For example:

Cecil teased me to reveal my worldly knowledge, and I found amusing ways to sidestep his questions, and on we went with this for quite a while until it occurred to me that this is what is called flirting.
It's a tedious exercise.
p.177

Underneath her slick veneer, Briony has some real self-hate. She is both a witch and a preacher's kid, after all. Her self-loathing competes pretty heavily with her self-preservation instinct as Briony tries to figure out how to appease the Old Ones in her swamp to save Rose (who not only has done nothing wrong but whose problems Briony also places on her own shoulders) and save her own neck at the same time.

As if a great and fun yet complex main character/narrator weren't enough, there's Eldric who really is very charming and sweet and a worthy book crush. His interactions with Briony, especially their "fraternity," were really cute and fun, though their relationship was not without some very serious complications. Issues with Briony and Rose's father added real emotional depth to the story in ways that an emotionally and physically absent father is usually not able. And, of course, there's Rose. I prefer that you read about and fall in love with her for yourself. In short, Chime is just one good thing after another; I highly recommend it!


Book source: Philly Free Library

0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Amazing, mysterious, fantastic, romantic, dark, PERFECT!

I wish that my rating system went beyond five stars, because Chime is THAT good. Billingsley created a dark and mysterious world that sucked me in and made me want to stay forever! The romance was sweet and the twists and turns just as well.

Briony thinks she's something awful and hates herself. She can't feel love, happiness, sadness, and she can't cry. I loved Briony. Somehow, even though she's one tough cookie, I felt pain and sadness. I saw that she seemed to want to change her 'ways' but was uncertain if that's what she REALLY wanted or just thought it was right. She's the perfect main character, because she's dark and secretive, but also sweet in her own way.

Briony's sister, Rose, was one odd girl. Briony blames herself for a terrible accident that happened when Rose and her were young. Rose likes to scream when something goes wrong and sometimes she's very repetitive. I actually really enjoyed Rose's quirkiness and her creative energy. I was very surprised to find that she was much more clever than I had anticipated!

Eldric.now draw a heart around that name and that's all I would need to say! ;) He is one of my favorite love interests ever! The romance was sweet and fun and almost forbidden. Eldric was so sweet and thought highly of Briony. He didn't quite understand why she thought so badly of herself. Eldric made her laugh, have fun, and want to cry.

The creatures Billingsley created in this story are really unique. I mean Boggy Mun, the Dead Hand, and the like. The descriptions were out of this world. It is fascinating that someone could work up a world like this one!

I must admit, at first I was utterly lost in the thick and incredibly descriptive sentences. I had to slow down and savor each sentence, otherwise things flew right over my head. I took it slow and it made reading it much better.

Gosh, overall, I would give this book a million stars. I would love to dive right back into the amazing world and story Billingsley thought up. Chime is a must read.so please go pick it up and start it now!

Review based on ARC copy

0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

A book of pure 'magic'

Briony has issues. She is one facet of the identical twins who live in Swampsea. Her sister's name is Rose. She, too, is a beautiful porcelain girl just like Briony but, unfortunately, the mind of Rose no longer works correctly. A long time ago Rose went a bit crazy and can no longer think well and screams constantly. Briony's Stepmother is now gone, but before she left the earth she asked Briony to always take care of her sister, no matter what. Briony has held that commitment.but not without pain. Briony wants nothing more than to get out of Swampsea and have a life. She longs for the fast-paced world of London - the restaurants, the theatre district, the running water - Briony wants the freedom to go where she can go and do what she wants to do, instead of being stuck in a broken down rectory with her father, the clergyman, who barely notices that she and her sister are alive. Briony has become cold. She can see no hope for her future, and can barely live with the fact that part of her 'gift' was the reason her Stepmother now lies in a grave, and why her sister is barely human anymore. But if she tells anyone her secret in Swampsea, she will swing from the hangman's noose. After all, the punishment would be fair, considering Briony is a witch. One day, a young man of beauty, grace, and charm - with a fire that burns inside of his soul - arrives in Swampsea. His name is Eldric, and he is what his father refers to as a 'bad boy.' Eldric has been expelled from the University in London for his joking ways, and must now live in the rectory and finish his studies. Eldric is an amazing boy and represents the package of freedom and desire that Briony longs for. Yet, she can never leave Swampsea; she must keep her promise to her Stepmother while fighting the demons that surround their small town. When Rose goes missing, the adventure begins for Eldric and Briony. Eldric is the one person on earth who will not believe that Briony has a bad bone in her body - yet her secret - her one 'deadly sin' could destroy them all. This amazing novel introduces a world where the Dark Muse lives, who goes after Eldric to try and enchant him with her evil ways. Swampsea is also the home of the Boggy Mun, who released a disease into the human world that Briony desperately needs to stop. Included in this witch-'y' world are The Horrors, the Old Ones who whisper, the Reed Spirits, and more, who join together as Briony tries desperately to escape the past and avert anything bad from happening in the future. Harkening back to the time of the Salem Witch trials, in a way, this wonderful author has created a story that will spark the imaginations of young adult readers everywhere (not to mention adults who are extremely interested in the fantasy realm). The Chime Child is also there - with one foot in the human world and one in the kingdom of the Old Ones - making the final decision between life and the Hangman's Square. Every scene is a new adventure, and the romance that is woven throughout is as beautiful as it is slightly sinister. Quill Says: A book of pure 'magic' that will make the reader wish they could close their eyes and head to Swampsea to get a first-hand look at these amazing and unforgettable characters. I smell sequel!

Fantastical and Beautifully Told - A Must Read

What can I say about Chime, other than it is incredible and amazing and must be read? Because it is all of those things and then some. Franny Billingsley's story about a girl named Briony and her hatred of her witch-self is fantastical and heartfelt; with dark tones and darker creatures, a lion-like man/boy named Eldric, and a plot that thickens like the swamp Briony lives in. The story has everything to offer and then leaves the reader gasping for more.

Franny Billingsley captivated me from the very first page and never let me go. The novel flows in this beautiful way that keeps the reader hooked, but yearning for more. Each word depicts something new and each chapter creates this infinitely more complicated and stunning tale. The romance is delectable, the characters are engaging, and the setting is brought to life in a way that made me feel like I was trudging through the swamp alongside Briony.

If you're looking for something different, for something that forces you to turn the pages rapidly, and will leave you awestruck, then Chime is the book for you. Each word is an emotion, a treat, a delight. The story is one to languish over and absorb; impossible to put down, but something you'll want to savor slowly.

Briony's world is vivid and life-like. Her self-deprecation and insistence that she's a horrible witch with no feelings is so different from who she actually is. I loved seeing her fight tooth and nail to be a good person, despite what she knows. The other characters each lend so much to the story as well. The ever-thickening plot is unraveled slowly and with such precision.

Chime is brilliant and beautiful and so incredibly gorgeous that I want to start all over and read it again. And I know I will. Franny Billingsley has stunned me with Chime. She's left me in awe with her ability to tell such a complicated story with ease and with beauty. I'm determined to pick up anything and everything she writes.

review taken from One Book At A Time

If there's a type a book I would say there isn't a lot of of, I would have to say young adult historical paranormal. I know that sounds strange, but it's a mix of genre's that I love. It can be done, there's just not a lot of it. I think Chime falls into this category nicely.

I'll admit that within the first 100 pages I wasn't hooked. It's written in that old English style (it reminds me of an old book of English fairy tales that I have) and uses terms like widdershins. The Old Ones described in the summary are many, and not many clues are given to who/what they are. It was a little overwhelming. I also had a hard time with Briony's voice. Her character was extremely guarded. She keeps as many secrets from the reader as she does everyone else in the village.

But, there are two secondary characters that I was really draw too. They are what kept me reading. I loved Rose, who is Briony's identical twin sister. She has these idiosyncrasies that really fascinated me. She seemed like the type of person who saw way more than people gave her credit for. Since she was "slow", people tended to disregard her. Plus, I was really curious as to why Briony felt that Rose was this way because of something she did.

The second character I love was Eldric. From the moment he steps into the story I was captured by him. He treats Briony as his equal and goes out of his way to engage her in conversation, etc. I loved the way he interacted with Rose. It was like a second nature to him, but didn't feel forced. He made me a little angry in the middle of the story, but I loved the way his actions were explained.

The mystery surrounding the story was intense. I never saw it coming. Although, I long expected that Briony's views on what she was were false, and the truth was much more complex. I ended up really loving the story. It was completely new and refreshing. The relationships were different and added a realness to the story. I will pick up whatever the author has to offer next!

A New World Delight

Chime was an amazing story. There is such rich prose and complex parts to the characters that is was the most amazing independent read that I read this year. I loved the description in this world, because I could really feel it through the characters eyes.
Chime is narrated through the main character Briony. Through her eyes and her inner personal narrative the story develops and the plot thickens as a plague is spread through her town and a witch hunt begins. The opening line in this book is:
"I've confessed everything and I'd like to be hanged.
Now if you please."
Not only is that statement central to Briony, but there is a huge implication for the whole plot in there. I loved the characters (here I am saying it again). The writing is like none other and the feeling that comes upon the reader was a great joy. Once I got in the mood and sat down to read I ate these pages up.
If you are looking for something truly original in concept, in characters, and in writing I encourage you to pick up Chime. It does not leave you disappointed.

enchanting fantasy

In the village of Stratton in Swampsea lives Briony, a person filled with self loathing. She blames herself for hurting her identical twin Rose and turning her into a child-like female. Briony holds herself culpable for the flood that swamped the parsonage where she lives with her sister and their father the pastor and the death of Stepmother who kept her secrets including the fact that she is a witch.

Loaded with overwhelming guilt and remorse, Briony assumes she is a witch too as she can communicate with the Old Ones who haunt the marshes as only witches and the Chime Child are capable of doing so. She also knows she is a witch because she casts spells as only a witch can.

Briony's life radically changes when Eldric arrives in the village; he is body beautiful enhanced by his golden hair. He looks deep inside Briony and sees only goodness. Fearing how much he knows about her with his penetrating yellowish eyes that slowly reveal her zillions secrets including her being a witch; a person the villagers would execute if they knew. Eldric remains resolute in his need to know what makes Briony tick so that he can persuade her she is not a monster.

Chime is an enchanting fantasy filled with magic, monsters, and a romance that breaks down defense mechanism barriers created over the years. Briony is a vulnerable person who feels deep emotions, a non-witch trait, that she conceals to hold back her deep rooted mental traumas. Told in the first person by Briony, her self loathing is a two edged sword as her self-hatred can overwhelm the reader and plot but also makes her a fascinating and unique protagonist in a refreshing tale.

Harriet Klausner

No text was provided for this review.

No text was provided for this review.