Lampie by Annet Schaap

Challenge #47 ~ “A book shortlisted for an award in 2020.”

lampie

★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆

My opinion in three sentences:

This was rather a mixed bag for me – Schaap has some really beautiful writing, but the more abstract elements of plot and pacing were a lot weaker. It was certainly readable, and a quaint tale at that, but the ending was rushed and it was hard to pinpoint the main plotline. I was expecting a more fantasy-based element from the title and blurb, too, which meant initially things didn’t really match up to what I was expecting.

(Without spoiling anything) the best bit:

Schaap is not a terrible author, and Lampie is not a terrible story. The sense of atmosphere is terrific, and Schaap truly brings her world to life – from tower-top rooms featuring mermaids to rickety lighthouses and stormy seas. For this literary style alone I laud the book, and it is definitely responsible for the majority of the stars. It’s a real talent, and it makes me very excited to see what else Schaap has to offer.

A warning for the book:

The plot direction and the pacing of the book did let it down. The ending was very rushed, with everything tied off in the last few chapters, and then larger elements left unresolved. This tied in to the lack of cohesive plot. I couldn’t identify what the main story was, as (for me) the story meandered among several key plotlines throughout and never seemed to stick with one. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a nice enough little story, but with a clearer identification of the plot, it could have been a great contender for this year’s Carnegie Medal.

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