Cover Image: Aphra's Child

Aphra's Child

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Aphra’s Child first caught me eye on NetGalley as I love a dark fantasy novel and it made me want to read it. It got off to a fantastic start with Tula escaping into the forest at her mother’s command, she has been hidden away for as long as she can remember and wants to know why things are changing.

The key thing about Tula is that she is a Chimera and in this world, Chimera’s are second class citizens with no rights. The government wants to exterminate them because they percieve them as a threat to their lifestyle. However as naive as Tula is she manages to look after herself once her mother is taken from her. (In this instance it begins to feel like your regular YA novel 😊).

I really enjoyed the writing of this novel as well. It drew me into the story and made me want to know what was going to happen to Tula and the other characters. There were parts where I anticipated the direction that the story was leading us in but I still enjoyed it.

I am looking forward to where the story is going to lead us in the next book. I gave Aphra’s Child 3.5 stars.

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I love this "what if" genre, where we can imagine a different but plausible future. In this world, genetic engineering has been taken too far. Animals and humans have been spliced to create a new, trodden down species that are essentially slaves. In this society, it is shameful to be anything but fully human. Tula has been hidden by her mother and at 16 her world gets turned upside down, her mother disappears and she finds out that she has a flaw that could lead her to being ostracized or worse. She begins her adventure to find safety and her mother. The villain check, the mysterious cute boy check, the courageous spunky girl check. The rest of the story felt very predictable, with one or two twists, but overall it felt too familiar. While I mildly enjoyed reading it, I wont be rushing to read Part 2.

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How lovely is the title for this listing!?

Okay, I love goats, as much as the next person, but five pages in a row about milking goats is a little over-kill for me.
Great writing style, but it was missing something special to keep me interested.

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I was sent an uncorrected advance proof of Aphra’s Child by Lesley Glaister to read and review by NetGalley.
I really enjoyed this book! It is a very different genre to Lesley Glaister’s other novels, which I love, but she rises to the challenge well. The bones of the story are firmly rooted in the tradition of the Sci Fi/Fantasy genre – good against evil, class structures, birth rights and quests for equality. There is also an underlying reference to certain real-life events, past and present, which I don’t think can be mistaken. The author manages to put a twist in the tale as she conjures up the atmosphere and sense of place within the narrative and brings her characters to life. I look forward to reading the next book in this entertaining Teen/YA series.

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Well that was a pleasant read!

First of the Chimera series, Aphra’s Child is a refreshing take on the enduring tale of how men treat those that are different from them, how they can reject and belittle those they have used, once this much needed working mass becomes numerous and eager for freedom and equality…

Petula has been living with her mother in a remote cottage for 16 years now. Having been told how dangerous the outside world is, she has not got any contacts with the outside world. Her universe ends at the edge of the woods that border their little farmyard. But one day, her mother is abducted. Now alone and ridden with worry, Tula must go to seek some help.

But Tula is naive and helpless. The outside world, especially the city, is an uncharted, incomprehensible territory to her. She soon finds herself entangled in other people’s greedy schemes and shady political matters.

I appreciated the fluidity of the writing, and it got even better in the second half of the story, when the intrigue really picked up.

Moreover, Tula is an engaging protagonist, albeit sometimes annoyingly gullible and impulsive, but these traits fit with the characters.

I found the plot exciting and well though of, although maybe with too many coincidences that converge to help Tula along the way. Her adventures are entrancing and she encounters a gallery of colourful characters : the greedy businessman, the populist politician, the passionate activists… and the commoner who does not agree with the harsh discriminative policies in place or proposed, but still closes his/her eyes because it is safer than to protest. They all help her grow, somehow, and provide food for thought for the reader too.

I also enjoyed all the little clues and mysteries sown across the novel. Some find resolution in this first instalment, and other provide perfect teasers for the next. I am curious to see how Glaister ties everything up in the end.

All in all, Tula’s story is rich and thought provoking, and as we see her growing we also share her moral questionings. An enjoyable novel to put in young and adult hands alike. Read it if you are looking for a entertaining yet dark and clever story, that treats important matter with a well balanced tone.

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Rating: 3,5 stars
*ARC Kindly provided by Stirling Publishing via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*
TW: reference to discrimination and enslavement (not explicitly related to any minority in particular)

Aphra’s Child by Lesley Glaister is a fantasy novel about a 16 years old girl, Tula.
She’s spent her entire life in the forest, far away from civilisation. The only person Tula has ever met was her mother who she lived with until her sixteenth birthday when the marauders rob Tula of everything she’s ever known as home.
But Tula is not just a girl, she’s a chimera: half human, half animal.
In a society where human beings are the ones in power and chimeras are enslaved and considered less than objects, Tula has to adapt to the city life -and its strict, amoral rules- as much as she can in order to save her mother, Aphra, without anyone finding out that she’s the worst type of chimera, a breed that’s been considered illegal.

Aphra’s a strong woman whose only wish is for her daughter, Tula, to live happily and away from the prejudice and violence of the people from the city.
She’s also Tula’s only point of reference and when she gets abducted the girl’s life changes for the worst. Petula is lost and doesn’t know anything about how things work in the city, she doesn’t have much money nor does she have a place to stay.
Her character might come off as childish but that makes completely sense since she’s been kept ignorant about the most mundane things by her own mother. So basically her behaviour and her naive decisions derive from a lack of knowledge.
On the other hand Tula is determined to find her mother and doesn’t stop when things don’t go exactly her way.
She has a pure big heart, but that’s not enough to survive the everyday life in a town ruled by people who believe anyone who’s slightly different has to be considered an abomination.

I had some difficulty getting into the story at first, not because it was complicated, I just simply found it a little slow. Towards the middle it got more interesting.
The writing style was not complicated and pretty flowing, although maybe the dialogues where people were supposed to sound like they had an accent were a little confusing, but that might just be me since English is not my first language.

My only issue with this book is that diversity is represented by literal beasts, which makes the difference between human beings and chimeras an actual biological fact.
If this book was meant to be a reflection on how minorities in real life are mistreated/marginalised then maybe amplifying differences by making them actually different, may result in a quite damaging and (hopefully) opposite reaction to this book's initial intent.
But since none of this was ever mentioned explicitly I don't think it's fair to come to conclusions and maybe the book was simply about a chimera trying to find her place in a violent and dangerous world.
Overall I enjoyed this book and I'd recommend it to fantasy lovers.

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Rating: DNF

This was Ms. Glaister's first YA novel attempt and I've read great reviews on her other novels that I was extremely excited for this one especially as it would be my first from her. Unfortunately, I DNF'd this for several reasons listed below. *I received a free copy from NetGalley and the publisher for my honest review*.

The plot line was designed to illuminate an adolescent girl who learns to strive despite her differences. The writing of this character was not to my liking at all - instead of creating a strong protagonist, the author made her too youthful and immature, often making me feel like she was only 11 or 12 vs. the young adult she's supposed to have been. The setting's atmosphere attempted to create a semi-dystopian society with issues of racism, inequality and social class segregation and while I could see how easily this could have been achieved especially with the fantasy aspect of these characters, it fell through. The pacing of the storyline did not help matters either -it was very slow and hard for me to maintain interest.

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With a barely-there synopsis, you would think that this would be quite the gamble for most readers, but given how reliable critically-acclaimed author Lesley Glaister is I figured it was an odds-on favourite. Don't let the limited blurb put you off as some books simply work best when the reader goes in blind. However, if you think you've happened upon a lighthearted, fantasy world then you are very much mistaken. As with all of her novels, Glaister infuses it with issues that reflect those in our own societies.

Although the pacing is quite slow at the beginning it still works well as I feel you often need some time to adapt to the writing style and pick up on how the world works, once you become accustomed to both, the pace picks up. Glaister's worldbuilding could rival anyone's, even the greats of the fantasy genre, her characters are beautifully painted and interesting, and I look forward to both the world and the characters evolving over the upcoming books. Despite being based in a richly imaginative world, the author manages to make it both believable and wonderful, and the contrast between the light and dark in this fictional universe is masterfully executed. It features a sprawling fantasy world, suspense, and a smattering of romance, there is certainly something for everyone here. The portrayal of the conflict between humans and chimeras echoes that between classes, races and sexualities in the real world. This is one of the most refreshing fantasy titles I've had the pleasure to read recently, and the message it holds about being true to yourself no matter the consequences is one I can completely get behind.

This is a thoroughly enjoyable young adult debut, but with more substance than most. I really had a hard time putting this down, it was utterly immersive. This was a great read, and it has already gotten me anticipating the next book in the Chimera series. Glaister is a highly underrated author whose gift for engaging plots deserves a wider readership. Tighter editing could have perhaps sharpened up some of the prose, but apart from that, I loved it!

Many thanks to Stirling Publishing for an ARC. I was not required to post a review, and all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

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Lesley Glaister is, in my opinion, another under-read author. Having enjoyed some of her adult fiction I was keen to try Aphra’s child, her first YA read.
Tula is a Chimera, and when her world falls apart, she is forced to make the long journey to the city to find help.
‘Darkly magical’ tends to compensate for a lot of missing elements in fiction and helps to suspend disbelief, but for me, a much bigger dollop was required here.
The simplicity of the message became tiresome, and I suspect YA readers might enjoy more adventure and more obvious flirtations.
Thanks to NetGalley and Stirling Publishing

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A wonderful tale. A rich, dark, imaginative world described so brilliantly as to feel real. The characters range from warm and engaging to chiilingly dark and are all very human, even when they aren't. The plot is fast paced and exciting, gathering momentum as it leads you along to a conclusion which hopefully leaves plenty of scope for the story to continue in further books. There are moments of levity and despair throughout, making a rollercoaster of a read. The kind of fantasy a reader dreams of, timeless, exciting, draws you in from the beginning and leaves you wanting more.

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Tula has spent the first sixteen years of her life with just her human mother and has no knowledge of her father. She does know however, that he must be chimera, like her. Her world changes abruptly, with the kidnap of her mother and she must leave the safety of their hidden home in the mountains,, to go and seek the truth.
Her journey takes her to the City, which is a city on edge and planning a mass ‘cleansing’ of chimera and their kind. The more time she spends there, she realises she must also possess the secret knowledge that her mother never shared with her, but will she ever discover the secret and how will she survive in the city, which looks set to hunt down her kind.
This is a good example of young adult fantasy writing with just enough intrigue and suspense and a hint of romance, fluttering around its edges. As an adult, I enjoyed the story and would look for a sequel, to see what happened next. The main character is strong, if a little naive.

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Thank you NetGalley and Stirling Publishing for providing me with a copy for review.

Aphra's Child follows the protagonist, Tula, whose world is threatened when her mother, Aphra, is taken and she is left alone. Tula is a chimera, someone who is treated as a slave by their society, so her mother has been protecting her all her life and keeping her safe from marauders and people who wish to do her harm. Aphra is taken the day that she was finally going to give Tula some of the answers that she most desperately seeks about who she is, her place in the world, and who her father is, leaving Tula alone and confused.

This was a good novel and I enjoyed the fantasy elements. I have only ever seen chimeras have passing mentions or small roles in media so it was nice to see a different take on them and to read about them in more detail. I love fantasy and it is my favourite genre, but it can get repetitive at times and this novel really pushed those boundaries and felt different.

It was a really easy book to read due to its fast paced nature and nice reading style and the characters were well written, especially Tula who was a great character to read about. It is a very promising book with a nice message to remain true to yourself and one I would definitely recommend.

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A Light, Refreshing Very Well Made Story. Loved Tula's Character. It Was Well Written And Would Definitely Pick Up Lesley Glaisters Work For My Shelves Also Would Recommend This Novel.

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This book really gives me things to think about. I like the writing style and the world, so like ours yet completely different at the same time.

I read this book quite quickly because I found it so easy to get through.

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This... Is a middling sort of book. It has a lovely idea, that of human/animal chimeras living alongside humanity, hated and misunderstood, and draws parallels to racism and classism in today's society. It takes a fantastical idea, the supernatural of a chimera, and places it in a mundane world, a world without magic inherent. The experience of the chimera was well executed, but a little heavy handed. The obvious analogy to race was a little blunt.
However, I enjoyed the concept.
Petula, the protag, is meant to be a naive sixteen. Which, in some senses, I could feel. However she comes across as not just naive, but absolutely guileless and ignorant, and I was hard pressed to imagine her as a young adult, as she was written to appear more like a twelve year old, a much younger child.
I feel like the author wanted to create a dystopian society, a novel of intrigue, and a fantasy novel all at once, and I don't feel that it was wholly achieved. I would have preferred the author stick to and fully flesh out one of the concepts; and it would have provided a richer reading experience.
I did however finish the book, which is kind of a chimera Handmaid's Tale - a society that uses and abuses chimeras rather than women, ripe with corruption. I would not however read a sequel. I just felt unfulfilled during the course of the novel, and kept wishing the author had taken another look over her final draft to really tighten it up and make the actual prose shine a little more.
My recommendation? Read it on kindle unlimited or if its free or 99p. Otherwise, give it a miss.

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I was a little hesitant at first because of the limited description but this book was amazing. Lots of times authors want us to believe a character is innocent and sheltered but then make them hip and knowledgeable but Tula was neither of those. It was refreshing and made the story much more believable. I would 100% recommend this novel

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Thank you to Stirling Publishing. for the arc of this book.
I enjoyed this book, it was a nice easy light read.

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