written by on 22/07/2010
It's not that I am of two minds about this book - I am of as many minds as Jansson has pieces (and for those who have not read it yet - it means "a lot").
The story is good, not perfectly original but quite fine and well told. But the book is written in a seriously broken English, at times bad enough to spoil the story.
Also, already in the very first chapters, the believability of the story is challenged by some supernatural-like traveling (13 hours from Glasgow to Fort William, up to the top of Ben Nevis and down, then on to Loch Ness to set camp; the following day from Inverness to Edinburgh to Stirling to the Glasgow Transport Museum (all complete of all the tourist stuff)... a bit too much, really.
The appearance of the Sara character, finally, is a bit sudden and her involvement in the story vaguely (but not completely)unbelievable.
The more sci-fi side is, instead, absolutely fine under this point of view. The frame in which the story evolves is clearly established and constantly respected, the surprises all make sense in the context (yes, some reactions seem a bit over the top, but the alien species involved is presented as a race who would indeed behave in such a manner) and the story remains solid and thoroughly enjoyable.
Still... a proof-reading would have made the book far, far better.