Crane (Legends Saga, #1)

by Stacey Rourke

• ISBN10: 0692221107
• ISBN13: 9780692221105
• Publish Date: 25 May 2014 (first published 21 May 2014)
• Publish Status: Active
• Imprint: Anchor Group Publishing
• Format: Paperback (US Trade)
• Pages: 298
• Language: English

Reviews

[Nadz@Totally Addicted to Reading]

I heard many stories surrounding the legend of sleepy hollow, but I never read the actual book. I got my first real taste, of the story behind the legend when I watched the Sleepy Hollow television series, which I thoroughly enjoyed.

When I received this book as part of the quirky blind date program and realised it was a retelling of the legendary sleepy hollow, I was ecstatic and could not wait to get into the story.

What the story is about.

Crane tells the story of Ireland Crane a descendant of the infamous Ichabod Crane. She moved to Sleepy Hollow as she needed a break from the hustle and bustle of New York City. What she did not know was her decision to relocate to Sleepy Hollow would set in motion a series of events that would turn her life upside down.

A murderer is on the loose and due to the nature of the killings, the community wonders if the headless horseman rides again. However, when the evidence points to her, Ireland with the help of the stranger she discovered in her home rushes to uncover the truth. Will they discover who is behind the murders before anyone else loses their head?

The Story

I enjoyed the author's take on this legendary tale. The story was told simultaneously in the past and the present. Although both threads were different, they had a direct impact on each other. The narrative from the past was narrated from Ichabod Cranes POV while story from the present was provided from Ireland Crane’s perspective.

I enjoyed how both story threads were narrated. However, I thought the story narrated in the past was more befitting of the Sleepy Hollow legend due to its creepy atmosphere.

The twists and turns kept me guessing while keeping me on the edge of my seat at each page turn. The portrayal of the headless horseman went beyond my expectations. I found it intriguing and captivating.

I enjoyed the banter between the characters and I could not help but laugh at their actions and dialogue. I thought the romance was unnecessary as I do not believe it added any value to the story. It moved quickly for my tastes. I loved how the story ended as most of the questions I had regarding the plot were answered. I still had questions, but I guess will get those answers in the sequel. I also liked the peek I got regarding the next book in the series.

The Characters

I loved how the characters are featured in both threads. However, if I were to choose a favourite, it would be Rip Van Winkle, who was featured in both threads. I enjoyed his attempts in navigating the 21st century and loved that he pulled it off beautifully.

Conclusion/Recommendation

Crane is an exciting and well-written story. It is hilarious, refreshing and unique. If you love the story behind the legend, then you will love this retelling.

[inlibrisveritas]

Re-tellings are one of my favorite things to read as we get to see old stories with new twists. It’s like a mix of an old comfort and a new experience that can’t be beaten. Crane is no exception.

Now I readily admit I haven’t read the original Sleepy Hallow or Rip Van Winkle, but at this point, I know the stories well enough to enjoy Crane and see the parallels without issue. I think what Stacey Rourke has done here is pretty clever in its delivery and the cool little parallels to the original without being a reprint simply set in modern times. I liked the inclusion of Rip Van Winkle and the unique part he plays in the story along with Ichabod and Washington Irving. Given that this is a retelling (in a sequel sort of way) it was really nice to settle in and be surprised at the way it all played out. I don’t expect a lot of surprises in retellings, so it’s always nice to find new little turns and fun departures from the source text. It has some dark moments to be sure, but it also includes some really great humor and the pace keeps a nice clip.

Karen Kruse did a wonderful job as the narrator of this tale. Ireland is a snarky character and she nails it perfectly. Each character is distinct and it’s apparent that she has a gift for voices.

I’m definitely looking forward to delving even farther into the story of Ireland and seeing if the curse of the headless horseman can be broken. If you are a fan of shows like Sleepy Hollow or of retellings, in general, this series would be one worth checking out.

[cornerfolds]

I've had my eye on Crane ever since I saw that AMAZING cover! I couldn't really figure out what the super weird, painted face had to do with the Headless Horseman, but I knew it was probably good. I'm a sucker for a good retelling and this one was truly unique!

Right off the bat it's obvious that this is not a normal retelling of the classic myth. This is primarily the story of Ireland Crane, a distant relative of Ichabod himself. She's had a rough breakup and moves to Sleepy Hollow to make a new start for herself as a guidance counselor at the local school, but nothing goes quite as she planned.

I really liked Ireland's attitude immediately. She has kind of a "meh" attitude that I can really identify with. Like, "well, this happened and I can't do anything about that so I'll just crack a sarcastic joke and move on." She's a strong character who rolls with the punches and doesn't take crap from anyone. Ireland's love interest, Noah, was not really in the book enough for me to make a real judgement call on him, but I like what I've seen so far. He seems to be very caring and accepting and I can't find much fault with what I know about him at this point. I really hope he'll be a little more fleshed out in future books!

The characters in the flashbacks were also really great! Because they had almost half the book to themselves, I felt like I really got to know them. I didn't care very much for Katrina, but I think that had a lot to do with the time period, to be honest. I loved Ichabod! He was not what we've been led to believe Ichabod Crane is and I really enjoyed his no-nonsense approach. Rip Van Winkle was an interesting addition who I also greatly enjoyed! He was hilarious at places, but still a serious, main player in the story. I do wish there had been more of the book devoted to Ichabod's story though!

The world building was good too, but I wish I had felt a little more dread when the town was being established. It felt a little off somehow, but I never got the feeling of gloom and total creepiness I would expect from Sleepy Hollow.

I can't say too much about the story without spoiling it, but suffice it to say I definitely enjoyed this unique take on a retelling! Nothing was quite as it seemed and there was plenty of mystery in this story that's already so well known to keep it fresh and interesting! I'm definitely planning to read book two and find out what happens next in the saga!


//I compared this book to the movie Sleepy Hollow on my blog as part of a feature called Paper vs. Popcorn//

[limabean74]

My Review:

I LOVE the Legend of Sleepy Hollow is one of my favorite stories, this for me was a must read and it did not disappoint. This is my first Stacey Rourke book and I am not sure what took me so long to read her books since I love her writing style and she has a wonderful sense of humor that she adds to her books. (follow her on FB you wont be sorry...so funny) The story is told in the past and present. You read a new fresh version of Ichabod and how he comes to Sleepy Hollow with his friends Irving and Rip and then you read in Ireland Crane’s POV and what is happening to her in Sleepy Hollow. I was never confused and the chapters are tiles with which POV you are reading. Ireland is a great characters, going through so much and coming to this town that suddenly throws her into a bunch of really weird senarios. She handles them very well with help from Rip and Noah. Noah…oh Noah…he is hilarious and I have to give a dreamy sigh too, I love a man with a string sense of humor and a big loving heart. Rip is my favorite, just don’t get him to worked up or you will be carrying him home. It has a good amount of romance, a lot of humor and a nice scary mystery. I didn’t find any part of the story slow, I thought both stories were told wonderfully and really came together. This is one of those books that you can’t seem to put down no matter how hard you try and once you are finished you will have grabby hands for the next one.

The story that Mrs Rourke created is both interesting, romantic, hilarious and different. I found this story to be extremely well done and I think Mr. Irving would really have enjoyed this telling of his story. From the story build to the narcoleptic old man, I honestly adore, love and need to rave nonstop about this book and how much I loved it. Looking forward to the next one.

recommend: 100%

Thank you so much for stopping by to check out my review

Hope you have a great day and Happy Reading!

This review was originally posted on Because reading is better than real life