Almost 6 weeks ago I participated in Avangarda convention as lecturer. I chose two books as an award for the lectures I held. Two fantasy books by Polish writers (ladies) that I didn’t know about.
One of them was Marta Kisiel’s Nomen Omen (“Aptly Called”). It’s an urban fantasy with university students & 85-years old sisters combo. The action takes place mainly in Wrocław and reaches to the pre-war and Second World War Wrocław then called Breslau.
Quote
Nagle, nie wiadomo skąd, wystrzeliła drobna postać, ruchliwa niczym żywe srebro i uzbrojona w złożony parasol wagi ciężkiej. Zanim Salka zdążyła choćby mrugnąć, przyparty do muru Niedaś kulił się już pod gradem ciosów, które spadały zewsząd, jakby atakowało go co najmniej stado rozjuszonych ośmiornic parodiujących słynny numer taneczny Gene’a Kelly’ego.
Review
The cover review stated that “Marta Kisiel is like Terry Pratchett or even better than him. Because she discovered a plot in her second book, and he – only in fourth.” Don’t make mistake – Marta Kisiel is nowhere near Pratchett.
The whole book felt like a teenager’s writing. I guess I have a lot against the whole book – descriptions included – written in the very day by day language, with long metaphors. None of my friends speak like that and that was very tiring to read. Tiring 330 pages. Sorry, no quote translation. I can’t bear to do so.
The front cover looks nice, with the letters and the image, the inside illustrations are in manga style, totally not suiting the cover.
The plot isn’t too exciting. The characters are too dumb for my liking, and the best ones are the old sisters.
Read only, if you don’t have anything else to read. Or if you really like urban fantasy genre and need to read as much of it as possible.
My opinion: 3/10.
The book qualifies for the Polacy nie gęsi challenge, New Authors Reading Challenge 2014 and Full House Challenge.
For Culture's Sake 