After falling in love with the cover of The Forgotten Book, I was so excited to find out that it was inspired by Jane Austen. I couldn’t wait to get started. Unfortunately, the story fell flat for me. The pacing was off, I found the characters incredibly difficult to relate to, and the writing felt a bit juvenile.

The story begins as Emma, the headmaster’s daughter, finds a mysterious book in a little-used library. After she begins reading, she realizes that the book contains a chronicle of the school’s history, written over time by various authors. She begins to contribute, only to find out that whatever she writes in the book comes true. As the repercussions of her actions spread and become more severe, Emma finds herself in danger as the history of the forgotten book is slowly revealed.

In regard to the pacing and the writing, I’m not sure if they were off because this is a translation or if the same problems were there in the original book. I could feel the potential behind each section of the book but it felt buried beneath the writing. Plot twists abounded, which should have made for an interesting read. However, since the timing was off, there wasn’t ever quite as much tension as I would have liked and some of the twists seemed to come from nowhere. The Austen references were fun to find but I felt as if the book would have been improved by removing some of the ones that didn’t quite fit.

I wasn’t a fan of Emma or any of the other characters. They had the potential to be interesting but none of them ever emerged as distinct, relatable characters to me. Additionally, the school dynamics were a bit confusing, particularly as the plot became more complex. Some of the character’s reasoning and motivations were difficult to understand, I wasn’t sure why most of them did what they did.

Unfortunately, this book was definitely not for me. The Forgotten Book had such an interesting concept but I was disappointed by the characters, the plot, and the writing.

I give this book 4 out of 5 Magical Stars! I really enjoyed this book! First off, the cover is absolutely GORGEOUS! This was slow at first but once I got into it, I couldn’t get enough of its magic! This book was a retelling of not one but two Jane Austen books and I couldn’t help myself but to try and figure out who was compared to whom at certain points. When I first saw this book on NetGalley, I crossed my fingers and toes that I would get approved for this title. I mean what bibliophile wouldn’t be allured by a story with a magical book, throw in some romance,and have a setting of a beautiful castle? I loved the characterisationin this book besides I felt a couple characters were underdeveloped. I loved the subtle mystery and definitely loved the setting! I am definitely looking forward to what this author has in store for us next!

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As The Forgotten Book has a line in its own synopsis saying it's a Jane Austen inspired story, I was on the lookout for that. I'm not sure I'd say there's any one Austen book that this one was inspired by because I saw elements of several. There's the overreaching one (Pride & Prejudice, of course) and some elements of Emma, such as some characteristics that The Forgotten Book Emma shared with Austen Emma, as well as her friend Hannah standing in for Harriet Smith. There's also a writer the girls talk about named Eleanor Morland whose surname is the same as that of the heroine of Northanger Abbey.

An overused sort of line that I found unnecessarily repetitive was how, in the first few chapters, Emma was saying that her world was going to change the next day or how little did she know that everything was about to change. Those lines, with little to no difference between them, cropped up several times in the beginning of the book and it was an annoyance to hear them repeated so often and in such close proximity to the previous one.

One thing I want to point out is that there are scenes of teenagers drinking, the main character to the point of drunkenness in one, and if you miss anything, do not forget that this book takes place in Germany and was originally written in German. The legal drinking age in Germany, as far as beer and wine goes, is 16. I admit that I forgot about the setting and was surprised by this, but a quick search revealed it's not the same as in the U.S. (my home country).

I've never finished an Austen novel, but from what I have read, I have to say I could see similarities in the writing style then and in Glaser's here with The Forgotten Book, such as the social commentary and the heroine observing everything and everyone about her. Imitating a similar style and elements from some of Austen's books, there was still a lot of her own voice within the book, from the events that Emma participated in and instigated, as well as the modern air that translates well in this current reading experience.

While there were some pacing issues, I was able to get round those rather quickly and settle down to enjoy the story. I'd recommend this book not only to fans of Glaser's The Book Jumper, but of classic Austen novels as well, plus anyone that loves a good fantasy adventure.

Emma has a pretty good life. She lives at a prestigious German boarding school where her father is a professor, and she has two close friends she spends most of her time with. One day, she finds a mysterious old book hidden in a library cabinet and begins reading it. Little does she know that she has found a magic book. When the things she writes in the book begin coming true, Emma decides to find out where the book came from and how she can stop the weird occurrences. What she begins to unfold is a secret that's totally unexpected and unbelievable, and Emma is in a race against time to save her friends and herself from the book's curse.

I thought this was an interesting book - it was like Pride and Prejudice, Inkheart, and European legends all rolled into one book. It did seem more like a middle grade novel than YA at times, but it still interested me enough that I hurried through to find out how it ended. I didn't care for the profanity or alcohol use, but other than that it was a unique story.

I received a review copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Lose yourself in Mechthild Gläser’s intriguing Forgotten Book

THE FORGOTTEN BOOK, by Mechthild Gläser, Feiwel & Friends, Jan. 2, 2018, Hardcover, $17.99 (young adult)

It’s easy to tell some of the books that influenced author Mechthild Gläser. One of her main characters is named Darcy de Winter after all. So it should come as no surprise that The Forgotten Book channels both Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice and Daphne du Maurier’s Rebecca.

This school year is going to be different for Emma. It’s going to be perfect. She’s well on her way to becoming head girl at her prestigious boarding school, good things appear to be on the horizon with her long-time crush, and her plans for a secret society are playing out just as planned.

Darcy de Winter could care less about Emma’s plans. His family pretty much owns the castle in which the school is housed and he’s not keen on Emma using the abandoned west wing library for watching TV and gossiping. He promptly kicks Emma and her friends out before they even have a chance to really get started.

What Darcy doesn’t know, however, is that before he arrived, Emma found a mysterious book in the library — a book that seems to have powers. Emma hides the book in her room, and while reading it, discovers that anything written in the book comes true.

Emma takes the book on a few practice runs, and it seems harmless enough, but as her wishes become more complicated, so do the consequences. As events unfold, it becomes clear that someone else knows about the book, and they will stop at nothing to get it from her.

The Forgotten Book features three main characters — Emma, Darcy and the book itself.

If you’ve read Pride and Prejudice, then you can pretty much figure out The Forgotten Book’s version of Darcy. He’s cold and aloof, complicated, privileged, and completely devoted to those he cares about. (Maxim de Winter in Rebecca is much the same way.)

Emma, on the other hand, comes from more modest beginnings. Her father is the headmaster of the school and she gets on well with the “scholarship” kids. Emma starts out a little one note — searching for the popularity and acclaim others have. As her character develops, though, you realize she has the strength of a Lizzie Bennet, or perhaps Emma Woodhouse.

The book — or chronicle — as Emma calls it is as varied as the authors who’ve written in it. It ebbs and flows with their love, jealousy and grief.

Surrounding all this is a Rebecca-esque Gothic feel that adds a delicious weight to the mystery of The Forgotten Book.

While Gläser may pay homage to the above-mentioned books, The Forgotten Book does feel very much like it’s own work. It’s a moody, sometimes dark read that’s compelling in its own right.

Emma’s life is pretty good. She attends a prestigious boarding school. Her friends all trust her enough to ask her for advice. She’s pretty sure the guy she’s had a crush on for ages is about to ask her out. Things are going well. Except for arrogant Darcy de Winter, the heir to the family who owns the school, who’s there searching for clues about his missing sister.

Then someone trashes the abandoned library Emma and her friends have taken as “theirs,” and Emma finds an old book hidden there. The book is filled with pages written by many different people over the years. A diary of sorts, Emma thinks, and she starts writing in it as well.

When the things Emma writes in the book come true—sort of—Emma realizes there’s more to the book than she thought. But someone else knows of the book’s power, and will stop at nothing to take it from Emma. Emma must unravel the mysteries hidden in the book—and the school—if she’s to figure out what the book is—and who’s after it.

The Forgotten Book is labeled as YA, but that seems a tiny bit too old for this book, to me. Or maybe Emma’s led such a sheltered life that she seems younger. And, considering this is a boarding school, there is surprising little conflict or animosity between a group of students who all live together. Everyone gets along. That was the most far-fetched part of this book for me. Not the magic book.

I enjoyed the mystery, as Emma tries to figure out the secrets of the book, as well as the mysterious creature mentioned in the book. The school sounds like a fantastical place to live, or at least to visit. Emma is an interesting character: she’s very innocent and oblivious to some things, but she’s inquisitive enough to make up for her naivety.

(Galley provided by Feiwel & Friends/Macmillan via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.)

This second book in the series is really kind of average. Then again I thought the first was just a bit above average to begin with. While I love the covers of these books I feel like they are more of a draw at this point than the actual story. Oh well, it was good for a one time read.

Emma found a book in the library of her boarding school. Seems super commonplace, right? Except this book is different. If you write something in this book, it comes true.

Except, as with all things magic, there’s a catch.

This book was so fun! It’s YA but I think it would work for younger readers, too. (It almost feels like a fairy tale, with the magic and mythical creatures.)

While I was reading it, I kept thinking about what it would be like to have a book like that. (And yes, I do know what I’d write in it.)

Although I really enjoyed this book, I did feel that the main character was quite childish for a 16 year old and that all the characters presented as a little too naive for present day characters. They felt very Enid Blyton boarding school and I would have preferred more modern attitudes and behaviours to have been presented. That being said I loved the general premise of the book and the thought the ending was perfect. I do like his authors writing and look forward to future works.

Mechthild Gläser's The Forgotten Book is a Jane Austen inspired novel about a 16-year old girl named Emma Morgenroth who finds a magical book with a strange figure on the cover. She discovers that anything she writes inside the chronicle comes true. Except sometimes the things she writes in the book actually have consequences for those around her. And, to make things even more twisted, someone else is interested in the chronicle, and may have been involved in the disappearance of a young girl named Gina de Winter 4 years ago.

Originally called Emma, der Faun, und das vergessenge Buch, The Forgotten Book should not be considered sequel to The Book Jumper. The protagonist and settings are no where near being the same nor is the plot or characters involved in the story. Emma has spent the past 4 years at Stolzenburg Castle where her father is headmaster of the prestigious school for the one percenters in the world. Except for the fact that her mother lives in England with her boring boyfriend, and her father is a hypochondriac, Emma has it pretty easy compared to others.

But, with the arrival of Darcy de Winter and his friend Toby Bell, the discovery of the chronicle, and the unsolved disappearance of Darcy's sister Gina four years ago, trying to solve a long time mystery may have even more consequences than Emma or her friends Charlotte, & Hannah can imagine. The author focuses all her attention on the mystery of Gina's disappearance, the legends of Stolzenburg, including some journal entry's from the 18th century, and the love hate relationship that develops between Emma and Darcy.

I am going off script a bit when talking about Emma and Darcy and their unusual romance. I am going to say that I did not like the fact that Darcy is 20 years old, while Emma is 16. Perhaps it is a European thing, or perhaps it is the Jane Austen inspired thing, but the 4 year difference is a whole lot for me to overcome and accept. I also noticed a huge discrepancy in the timeline. One minute Emma is talking to an important secondary character who is involved in almost every aspect of this story, and the next moment 2 weeks have flown by without explanation.

Overall, I think the author had a fine idea behind writing a book that is a chronicle of events, and you can actually write things in it and change the course of events for yourself and others. Besides the clunky timeline fiasco, and the entire thing being wrapped up so quickly I had no clue what just happened or how, overall it's a fine book if you like a bit of Jane Austen inspired mystery.

Mechthild Gläser's The Forgotten Book was a page-turning adventure surrounding one of my favorite things ever--a BOOK!

The book was a little slow to start but once I was in, I was all in. I was desperate to discover what was really going on with the mystery. I had several theories throughout but was unable to predict the final outcome.

Like another book I read recently, I wish that the resolution of this book was as developed as the rest of the story. I felt that the resolution came too quickly and I wanted it to unfold a little more.

I recommend this book to lovers of mystery, the paranormal, and lovers of books because, who DOESN'T wish to be able to write something down and have it come true from time to time?

Thank you, Netgalley and Macmillan Children's, for providing me with an advance copy of The Forgotten Book in exchange for an honest review.

This arc was provided to me for free from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

3 Stars

I requested this book for two reasons, the first being that beautiful cover. Second was because the idea of finding a book that makes your thoughts come true sounds amazing. But I don’t know, it somehow fell flat.

This book is a Jane Austen inspired novel featuring Emma who discovers a magical book that allows anything she writes to come true. Except those thoughts have consequences that she did not see coming. Along with dealing with those consequences, someone else wants the book.

I had a few issues with this book, the first being the ages. I am aware the legal ages are very different from UK to US. But a 16 and 20-year-old having a relationship in a young adult novel is just a little inappropriate. I just wish Darcy was a little younger as to appeal better. Second issue was the pacing of the timeline, it was just off and very confusing. The author just jumped from one scene to a scene 2 weeks away with no explanation. I found myself wasting time going back and rereading just to make sure I was reading it right.

With my issues aside, I did like the book. I still think it was a great concept just not a great execution. Even with Emma being a typical 16-year-old, I still found her rather like-able. I think this book would be better suited for a younger audience.

i really enjoyed the second installment of THE BOOK JUMPER! read the full review at our website!

Perhaps the translator of this German tale strained to convey the reputed magic of the original tale, but this queasy mix of boarding school drama, European aristos, Harry Potter wannabes, and completely unnecessary and downright derivative hacks from Jane Austen certainly don't help The Forgotten Book to do anything but stay forgotten. Emma is an annoyingly pert and self-conscious narrator whose unlikely adventures in a German boarding school, Stolzenburg, owned by a noble English family (just writing that made the reviewer wince) waver between her crushes and her worries about her beloved school. Her ability to change events when she reads a magic book that can change lives seems like the answer to a maiden's prayers but Emma's ambitions for her new found powers extend to making boys like her and her friends, and not into the fairy tale wood that surrounds the castle. She is not remotely believable as a sixteen year old preparing for life outside Stolzenburg but neither does she ring true as the wide eyed innocent bumping into fairies and fauns in the forest, Glaser is eager to summon associations with literary classics with Gothic overtones (I counted Austen, Frankenstein, Eleanor Cameron, and Rebecca among them) but it's doubtful an American reader with enjoy the stilted tale that sputters to a halt long after the reader has given up making sense of Emma's story.

Emma returns to her boarding school after a mediocre holiday with her mother, reunites with her best friend and roommate, and excitedly counts down to the start of the term. Her father is headmaster of Stolzenburg Castle nestled in the German countryside and she feels at home here than in England with her mother and mother’s boring professor boyfriend. Everything goes to plan with her friends, the start of the term party, and her crush until two former students appear and Emma stumbles upon a magically book that makes everything she writes come true.

This was an intriguing and fantastic read. At first I wasn’t keen on the pacing and transitions between paragraphs. For instance, the characters were in the castle wanting to talk with someone and the next paragraph started off with them talking to this person who was outside the castle. Eventually, the lack of transitions was fine since the author didn’t spend time on unimportant sentences like explaining the long way from this room, down the stairs, across the entryway and finally outside the castle, across the lawn, past the fountain, and to the person by the trees. Everything was short and simple which benefitted the plot.

The author spent 100% of this book around the plot of the magical book, the legends of Stolzenburg, and the disappearance of Darcy’s sister. She didn’t waste time describing each class and what the characters were learning. All dialogue and interactions pertained to the plot, which is something I rarely see in books these days.

I loved all the characters and how they were written, especially Emma’s father who was a hypochondriac and regularly diagnosed himself with illnesses. The entry of Darcy and Toby was a bit weird since they were twenty and were granted permission to stay at the castle with under aged students just because Darcy’s family owned the place. Darcy professed his interest in Emma right away, with little interaction between them, and Emma thankfully rejected him on spot. Her feelings for him slowly increased as the story progressed and it wasn’t until the end that she decided to reciprocate.

I received an ARC of The Forgotten Book from NetGalley.

Summary
Sixteen-year-old Emma is ready to start the new year at her elite boarding school. Her summer break was miserable and she knows this is the year she will finally win over her crush. Emma’s life turns from the hopeful to the magical when she discovers a forgotten book in which anything written because real. Emma plans to use the book to get whatever her heart desire even if she has to tussle with mysterious new arrival, and possible love interest, Darcy de Winter.

Review
First, let’s talk about that cover. It’s GORGEOUS. I love the graphic. I love the sort of blueish green background. I even love the font. The only issue I have with the cover is that, to me, it is the best part of the book. “The Forgotten Book” proved to an excellent example of a premise that just didn’t work when executed. The story feels clunky lacking any real flow with the plot points feeling as if they are slightly disconnected with several section beginning with a time jump and not explanation of what happened during that time. Then there are the characters which all felt a little undeveloped making it impossible to feel connected to them. I don’t care about Emma or her possible romance with the mysterious Darcy, we are not given enough information to care about Darcy’s journey to find his sister, and I don’t really care about what happened to the possibly evil book. However, I think this may be a case of things being lost in the translation. The details and nuances that make a book move beyond just being okay been lost. There is a frame there of a mystery with a little romance that would be the base for an awesome story but all the details seemed to get lost. However, the basic storyline, a mystery with just a little bit of Jane Austen flair and a dash of romance will most likely appeal to hard core literary fans.

The Forgotten Book presents a Austen-inspired feel that makes the story feel familiar and inviting, while also providing various twists to keep the pages turning. While the pace of the story kept things concise, I did find myself pondering some explanations provided. However, the story inspires an imaginative narrative, and is definitely something I would recommend to my students to deepen their fascination of books and appreciation of classic literature in a more contemporary setting.

I expected to like this book more than I did. The narration style made it difficult to stay invested in the characters, and the main character sounds like an adult, not a child, so that makes it difficult to recommend to its intended audience.

This was definitely a new twist on [book:Pride and Prejudice|1885] for me. I've seen zombies, but I've never seen magical books.

Emma discovers an ancient tome in her boarding school's abandoned library and soon finds that everything written in it comes true. Whether she likes it or not, the things she writes can't be un-written (believe her, she's tried to cross them out), and while some situations she finds herself in are unbelievable (like the lion in the middle of the forest in Germany), some are very gruesome. When a flip comment affects the health of those around her she starts to take it more seriously. Darcy is in this one, and while Emma doesn't have any siblings, she does have best friends at boarding school that fill the Jane and Charlotte roles.

Emma is a great character, and the main flaws I found with her were in her maturity. I'll chalk that up to the fact that I'm not 16, and she definitely acts her age. It's also important to remember that they're in Germany, and the drinking/dating ages are different than they are in America. Certain situations (Darcy's age, for example) could be a little uncomfortable otherwise. I wish he was maybe 17 or 18?