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One for Sorrow is a good combination of Hahn's various book styles - it is a ghost story, coming of age story, and historical fiction novel all rolled up into one. It is set during WWI and the Spanish Influenza epidemic in America, but the setting/era and characters (especially Annie, the main protagonist) are very approachable for readers. I did not find it "old-fashioned" or "outdated", though it had an appropriate number of historic touches. I especially liked the inclusion of jump rope songs, which morph eerily into a haunting refrain that appears again and again throughout the book. For any prospective readers out there that are looking to delve into a series that has superb character development, enthralling plotting, and unforgettable twists and turns please consider this one – I promise you won’t regret it. What Annie didn't know is that her new friend is mean, bossy, highly umbareble and would get her in a lot of trouble. None of the other girls liked Elsie, so, they didn't like Annie either. One small robin has three tasks - convince other bird species to help - the eagles, the sea birds and the insects to stop the killing and torture done by the magpies and crows.
One for Sorrow by Mary Downing Hahn | Goodreads
Even though I wasn't aware that this book was part of a series, it can definitely be read on its own.A mad man is on the loose in Edinburgh. He's kidnapping random people and then using these victims to stage elaborate situations, drawing as many first responders as possible so that he can blow them up. It is up to DCI Ava Turner and DI Luc Callanach to try and put a stop to him. They are racing against time to figure out who the Edinburgh bomber is and what is driving him on. In the past month two things have devastated me mentally and emotionally. The first is the 10 minute version of All Too Well by Taylor Swift. The second is this book by Helen Fields. The children’s nursery rhyme‘ One For Sorrow’was first recorded in Observations on Popular Antiquities from 1780. There is another well-known version from 1846. It reads: Book 7 (!) and I’m utterly hooked. During this series, Helen Fields has crafted not just some amazing plots but some really loveable characters that I for one, look forward to reading about in each book. Technically, Ava and Luc are two characters that you shouldn’t adore. They’re just too perfect! Even their flaws make them endearing. But the way in which Helen writes them makes them inexplicably engaging. I had a massive ‘whoop whoop’ moment on the arrival of Connie Woolwine! Well I could go on and on about how much I loved this latest book but all I can really say is please do yourself a big favour a read this one , it can be read as a stand-alone but it’s a shame to miss the previous books.
One for Sorrow: The Wild Fens Murder Mystery Series, Book 2 One for Sorrow: The Wild Fens Murder Mystery Series, Book 2
Hi I have just seen a kit in my cross stitch magazine which is the usual verse up to 7 but then it goes on to Eight for a wish One crow for sorrow," Elsie whispered in a voice as harsh as the wind on a winter night. "Your sorrow." My main criticism here is with the dialogue - it’s set in Scotland but other than references to the Polis, nobody sounds remotely Scottish and the characters all speak the Queen’s English - even Luc who is supposed to have a strong French accent. I’m not saying it has to be all “Ach hen” and “Sacré Bleu” and I know Edinburgh is quite English - I lived there for ten years - but some variation in the voices and local colloquialisms would flesh out the characters and make them more realistic. I also got a bit bored with Ava’s angst and the weird dynamic with Natasha. On the plus side, the hilarious Connie Woolwine from The Shadow Man makes a significant cameo appearance. Helen Fields has done it again & I don't know how she keeps creating stories that are so compelling, twisty & gripping while keeping in the humour & humanity of the characters. What I love about her writing is that I can see everything in my head with such clarity & hear the voices of the characters, their tone & delivery. It did not read like a book. I felt like I was reading a very detailed plot synopsis off Wikipedia. Everything flowed by too fast, with nothing being fleshed out within what was being told. It did not feel genuine.. As already mentioned, it told way too much rather than show; probably the most "telling" book I have read, echoing another reviewer, and I agree. I swear 15% was shown while the 90% was told. All the characters read as flat slates, like I was looking over the rough sketches instead of fullfledged, believable characters they were supposed to be. It also did not feel finished, especially towards the end, in both parts.
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Despite being a story about robins, I connected with the small flighty main character, and enjoyed the twists and turns that the plot provided.
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