Another Faust

by Daniel Nayeri

Other authorsDina Nayeri (Author)
Hardcover, 2009

Status

Available

Call number

YA B Nay

Publication

Candlewick Press [First Edition]

Pages

387

Description

Fantasy. Young Adult Fiction. Young Adult Literature. HTML: A devilish debut by a brother-sister team invites us into the world of the elite Marlowe School, where some gifted students are having a hell of a year. (Age 14 and up) One night, in cities all across Europe, five children vanish ā?? only to appear, years later, at an exclusive New York party with a strange and elegant governess. Rumor and mystery follow the Faust teenagers to the city's most prestigious high school, where they soar to suspicious heights with the help of their benefactor's extraordinary "gifts." But as the students claw their way up ā?? reading minds, erasing scenes, stopping time, stealing power, seducing with artificial beauty ā?? they start to suffer the sideeffects of their own addictions. And as they make further deals with the devil, they uncover secrets more shocking than their most unforgivable sins. At once chilling and wickedly satirical, this contemporary reimagining of the Faustian bargain is a compelling tale of ambition, consequences, and ultimate redempt… (more)

Collection

Barcode

1234

Language

Original language

English

Original publication date

2009-08-25

Physical description

387 p.; 8.75 inches

ISBN

9780763637071

User reviews

LibraryThing member Miranda_Paige
Another book that makes you think about souls and life. But use caution, there are somethings you cannot unread. What i men y that is there is one seen that i fell is a little too graphic and it greatly disturbed me.
LibraryThing member AmyLynn
Another Faust was written in such a way that you will enjoy it more if you've read the original. I haven't, so many references used as foreshadowing went over my head until the big reveal at the end. That being said, the faint familiarity most of us have with the tale of bargaining with the devil
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is enough to read this book. Perhaps, like me, you'll finish, and want to see how Faust handled his bargain.

Daniel and Dina Nayeri employed a technique I like at the beginning of their chapters. Each chapter started with either a flashback to an earlier bargain, or something relevant to the characters' past. Occasionally, they used a passage from poetry or other books, but often the cryptic hints Madam Vileroy gives are explained here.

The five children make a deal with the devil, and bear a mark for their sin. Victoria wishes to succeed in academics, and every other arena, Belle wants to be beautiful, Christian the best athlete, and the other two deals I'll leave you to discover on their own. All of them lose something in the exchange, but they gain powers, as well. Victoria has the ability to "cheat," read someone's mind, which helps her on tests. Christian can "steal" the athletic ability of those he plays with or against, and Valentin can avoid social awkwardness by rewinding time until he avoids whatever outcome he's seen.

Characterization was strong for some of the characters, but not all. The motivations behind their actions were very realistic, though sometimes, it was unclear what the intent was. Valentin's motivations were unclear at one point where he rewinds time over and over again to get the right situation to occur. When Madam Vileroy finds he's caused someone joy rather than pain, he tries to hide his memento from the event, making you wonder if he is quite the depraved character he's painted as. Later events make this doubtful.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys darker stories, stories with high stakes, and of course anyone who likes Faust.

While researching this review, I discovered they've written a sequel, called Another Pan. I will be checking that out!
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LibraryThing member dasuzuki
This book is a good example of why I normally hate to stop reading a book before the end no matter how slow it is. For the first 150-200 pages I thought it was rather slow going and I was really tempted to move onto another book. Then wham! The story picked up and it was like a roller coaster ride
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you don't want to get off. The book ends with a bang and leaves you wanting more. It was fascinating to see the deals these children made with their "governess", Nicola, and how nothing turned out quite how they wanted. Victoria was a total witch and I disliked her immensely. To her nothing mattered more than being acknowledged as the best. Valentin while mostly coming across as a jerk had his moments that made me think he might actually be redeemable and become a likeable character. Belle is so clueless she was irritating and yet I felt sorry for her. She wanted to be beautiful and her deal did make her physically beautiful but also saddled her with a rotting stench. Bice is Belle's twin who pretty much gets roped into this because Belle did not want her left behind. Christian was by far my favorite character. He initially sets out to be the best athlete but this sometimes required him to steal the energy or ability from other people. We see his conflicted emotions over doing so and watch as he has to choose what is really important to him. I am really hoping there will be a sequel to this book and we will see more of him.
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LibraryThing member JRlibrary
Each of five children, two of whom are siblings have some very strange talents, given to them by their guardian who seems to be a very manipulative, evil woman. Haven't finished the book, but will fix the review when I have.
LibraryThing member bookwormygirl
I really tried to love this book. I read some stellar reviews and was super excited, headed out to my local bookstore and picked up a copy the day it came out - but sadly it fell flat for me.

I loved the idea of this book. The premise was fantastic - kids selling their souls to the devil in exchange
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for being beautiful, popular, intelligent, etc. But in the end, I just couldnā€™t relate to any of them. Donā€™t take me wrong, I once also dreamed of being the most beautiful girl in a room or excelling beyond my peers in academics, what kids hasnā€™t? But I just never warmed up to any of the characters.

I will admit though, that the story had a great ending and the last 100 or so pages were real page-turners. Another Faust is a dark, thought-provoking novel that requires the reader's full attention - but sadly, it just never caught mine.
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LibraryThing member flamingo1325
Choppy. That was the word that kept coming to mind while I read this book. It jumped from scene to scene, character to character quickly and somewhat randomly and I found myself often having to stop and reread something to get onto the new character mindset/path only to have to do it again a few
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paragraphs or pages later. The constant shifting did detract from the story for me just because it didn't seem smooth and sometimes I didn't really see why things were cut and shifted when they were.

This is one of those deal with the devil kind of stories but one thing I did like was that typically, the person who sold their soul gets the reward now and suffers later but here, the children got both at once. Belle was beautiful but she had a horrible odor that pushed everyone away from her- admired from afar but never close. Vileroy truly was a master at tricks and she pitted the children together in the most subtle of ways where the reader only knew because of their omniscient perspective- if it weren't for that, I assume many facets of the story would have remained in the dark.

Even with the all knowing aspect, there were still plenty of things that didn't unfold until the very end, particularly everything related to Bice. Her story was the most well done in my opinion and the final explanation for everything with her was the most put together out of all of them. The relationships and personalities of the different children as well as they way they interacted with the world were intriguing for me but this book didn't completely take me by storm and make me want to keep reading till I finished- it didn't hold my attention enough.

The ending left me feeling iffy- I completely adored the closing line and thought it was fantastic and tied everything up but at the same time, I felt like there was a sense of things left undone. It was far from a happily ever after and truly bittersweet which made me adore it more but it was the last line that did hold it all together for me.
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LibraryThing member kperry
What would you be willing to do to get ahead in life? How far would you go to attain your deepest desire? Would you sell your soul to the devil? One night, across the globe, five ten-year-old children disappear. Five years later, five ambitious teens enter society, from out of nowhere, and gain
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entrance to the prestigious Marlowe school. Victoria is a skilled debater, Belle is extremely attractive, Christian is a sports star, Valentin is a master poet, and Bice is an expert linguist. Madame Vileroy, their governess, guides them through high society while continuing to entice them with greater "gifts" that will further their advancement. The common phrase, "nothing in life is free," holds true as the Faust children are forced to decide how much they are willing to trade in order to achieve their dreams.Another Faust is a dark, thought-provoking novel that requires the reader's full attention. Brother and sister, Daniel and Dina Nayeri, worked tirelessly to create this well-crafted and intricate young adult version of the Faustian bargain.
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LibraryThing member verka6811
In towns across Europe, ten-year old children - Belle, Christian, Victoria and Valentin - are greedily wishing for things they do not have: beauty, fame, money, success. One night, the children mysteriously disappear and no one, not even their parents, remember that they even existed. Years later,
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the teenagers, along with Belle's twin sister Bice, reappear in New York City. Led by the beautiful and mysterious Madame Vileroy, the teenagers enroll in the prestigious Marlowe School and use their special gifts to soar to the top.

To the outside world, Madame Vileroy is a selfless governess raising five adopted teenagers. Behind closed doors, Vileroy was the one to recognize their greed and to grant them the things they so desired in exchange for their souls. Their special abilities are what they always wished for, but come with just enough imperfections to keep them wanting more. Belle has the beauty that turns heads, but her smell of "vomit and honeysuckle" has people running for the door. Victoria reads minds to get ahead, but her ambition leaves her with no friends and pushes her to grovel for Vileroy's attention. Valentin is a brilliant poet and can rewind time over and over again until he's pleased with the outcome of a situation. However, he is always searching for a way to perfect his ability and is left with thousands of replayed possibilities that plague his thoughts. Christian is a master sportsman and can absorb anyone's energy with a single touch, but he struggles with using his gift and knows that he's competing unfairly. And Bice is the quiet outcast, the girl who speaks dozens of languages and yet hides in the shadows, too scared to speak to anyone.

As the teens cheat, steal and paw their way through Marlowe, Vileroy schemes to fuel their greed and to turn them against each other. She plays on their insecurities and cons them into giving up yet another piece of their humanity. As the story progresses, some teens question their gifts and yearn for real human connections, while others drive blindly towards more power.

Written by a brother and sister team, Daniel and Dina Nayeri, Another Faust is a modern take on the old German legend of a man who trades his soul to the devil in exchange for knowledge. Another Faust spins an addictive tale of backstabbing, covetousness and pure evil, and adds layers upon layers of details to each character and his or her gift. We see the full spectrum of the teenagers' abilities, the effect of their tricks on others and the frequent backfiring of their actions.

The novel does lack in some aspects: there is a lot of build-up to certain revelations, which are hastily glossed over; the secrets revealed at the end are given little attention and would have better served if they were at least hinted at throughout the novel. However, the novel's faults are quickly forgotten as it comes to a dramatic, hold-on-to-your-seats type of finale that will make for some excellent scenes if Another Faust is ever made into a movie.
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LibraryThing member 8F_SAM
This book started out as pretty random, then it got exciting, then it ended up really, really randomly. But I loved the story plot. It was really unpredictable, which most books aren't, and the idea was really interesting. I knew the Faustian Bargain Story, so I got this book better than other
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people who haven't read the Faustian Bargain Story. It's like a really modern day version of it, but with five kids. It was pretty great.
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LibraryThing member Apolline
This is the debut novel for the siblings Dina and Daniel. They have started a new teen fantasy series called Another Series. Based on well known stories, they try to bring old classics in to new life. Their next novel is called Another Pan, and will be released in October 2010.
As the title reveals,
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this novel is based on Goetheā€™s Faust. For some strange reason this did not occur to me as I picked up the book, yet it did not take long to get the picture.
In one night, five children from different places in Europe disappears from their home, without anybody noticing and no one to miss them. A few years later they show up as siblings, starting at the elite school Marlowe High in Manhattan, New York. All five of them are a little bit smarter, a little bit better, stronger and more beautiful than the rest of the school. Each of them equipped with a special gift, given by their beautiful, but strange governess Madame Vileroy.
In the true Faustian spirit, the children made a deal with the devil, giving up the life they knew to reach the top. But in the end, are they willing to pay what it costs? Are they willing to betray, cheat and ruin lives to get what they want? If they get the chance to undo their deal, would they grasp the opportunity? One thing is certain, it is impossible to get it all.

As a person who have never read Faust, and probably never will due to my total lack of interest in reading plays, it was still a great opportunity to supplement the book and read secondhand information about Goethe and Faust. I learned a lot that I did not already know, and the book can therefore be looked upon as an eye opener for me. The book was dark, creepy and filled with unattractive characters. I did have sympathy with a few of the characters and I therefore read the ending with a hint of sadness. But I guess the ending was difficult to avoid, how can an ending be all happy, when you started off by selling your soul to the devil?
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LibraryThing member sensitivemuse
There is only one way to describe this book. Deliciously and sinfully good. Itā€™s like eating five pounds of chocolate knowing there will be extreme consequences later but no matter, itā€™s still good. So, why do I describe Another Faust this way?

For starters, I almost giggled with glee and
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delight when things started going well for the main characters, in particular, I loved the part Victoria played in this book. I loved her rivalry with Lucy. I cackled with glee as Victoria always found a way to upend Lucy - I laughed even more when the fighting escalated into hair pulling and punching. I couldnā€™t help but feel supportive towards Victoria. Perhaps itā€™s because Iā€™m just sick of reading about characters like Lucy; picture perfect, the school sweetheart, the one with the potentially bright future..etc. Yes, you get the picture. Victoria is a classic and unforgettable villain that will stay with me for as long as I can remember.

The plot was very well done and got me turning the pages. Fast. Yet I have to admit I hesitated in the first few chapters. The descriptions of the school and the teens in it almost made me want to drop the book because I didnā€™t feel like reading anything that resorted to name brand listing or how expensive everything is. Almost. It was that little blip that nearly got me to drop this book. What kept me reading? It was Victoria. She really carried my interest throughout the book.

As for the other characters, I also liked the twins, Bella and Bice. They both were so different, yet they complimented each other well. Iā€™m glad the authors didnā€™t use the good twin/evil twin cliche thatā€™s been overdone in many other books out there. I also like Biceā€™s gift. It was the most interesting and unique one out of all of the characters. Each of them had their own little ā€˜giftā€™ yet it was Biceā€™s that really stood out. Of all the characters, I really didnā€™t like Valentin. What a spoiled selfish baby he was. Arg.

As for the ending of this book, it was left very wide open and Iā€™m wondering if thereā€™s going to be sequel. It certainly would be interesting if there is going to be one. Iā€™d really like to know the outcome of these characters. I actually did not want this book to end. I was enjoying it way too much.

Overall, a wonderful twist on Goetheā€™s Faust. Iā€™ll be looking forward to Another Pan when it comes out (which may be a twist to Peter Pan? Iā€™m not sure) I do recommend this book to other YA readers who want a change in their characters. Hooray for evil deeds!
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LibraryThing member Angela_C
This book was a very exciting story, and the characters suited the story very well. The plot was very suspenseful, although the end was a little disappointing. I really liked the plot and the characters, even though I disliked the ending. In this book, all the events would lead to another event,
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and all the while, it would get more and more sinister. I recommend this book to everyone who likes suspense, action, and fantasy.
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LibraryThing member theepicrat
I would not classify Another Faust as a light and easy read, but more of a dark and dense nature that befits the story that is presented. Each teen had a sordid secret that Madame Vileroy exploited and tried to make even more despicable. Of course, she made it easy for them to choose the road less
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complicated (which meant tarnishing their halo a little more). Why is being good always the more difficult decision?

Madame Vileroy's character proved to be the most mysterious character - I watched as she baited each teen with gifts and stories of glamour and fame, but never knew who exactly she was. Witch? Fallen angel? Devil in disguise? Not sure, but I do know that she is definitely up to no good. What is the purpose of entrapping 5 teens and unleashing them unto Manhattan Marlowe School? Where does she come from?
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LibraryThing member lawral
This is a nice break from the current trend in paranormal/magic/otherworldly teen lit (or at least the stuff I've been reading). Instead of making a vampire or witch or werewolf into a good guy, Another Faust features four teens who actually make deals with the devil. And that's bad. None of them
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end up being good guys, though there are varying levels of bad. Two of them are saved from their hellish fate by the one teen in their group who never made the deal, a secret fifth. She was good in the beginning and she remains good through to the end.

Evil doesn't always look like evil, but once you realize who is evil in this book, they remain so. And they are really evil. I mean, these kids have traded their souls to the devil for beauty, fame, power, and wealth. The devil is their nanny. Living in high society New York, they call her their governess. Throughout the book, the teens are all doing their governess's bidding as she plans to bring powerful people into her grip through them. It never really becomes clear what the devil's big plan is, though it is clear that the plan is well thought out and complicated. Her plan is kind of abandoned as the teens break rank and try to regain their souls.

Even with some confusing moments and more than a few loose ends, I felt that this book ended in a satisfying way. I was completely sucked in to the story and glazed over the gaps and holes while reading. I would imagine that many others will do the same.
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LibraryThing member BookAddictDiary
One strange night, five different children from all over Europe disappear, and no one seems to notice. It's as if the children vanished without a trace. Five years later the children surface at a prestigious party in New York City with a mysterious governess. Each child -the over-achieving
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Victoria, the linguistic Bice, her vain sister Belle, the thieving poet Valentin and the athletic Christian -has been granted a special gift that allows them to go beyond the ordinary. The group enrolls in the prestigious Marlowe school, where they navigate the universe of high school with mysterious gifts and evil bargains.

When I first heard about this book, I was really interested in the concept of updating the Faust story for a modern teen audience. However, once I got started with Another Faust, I found that this book wasn't exactly what I was expecting. While it included plenty of intelligent, dark mystery and commentary, it seemed a little few and far between -not to mention the fact that the plot didn't really seem to have much of a shape or direction for nearly the first 300 pages...making the book incredibly confusing -so much so that I almost put it down. But something about the characters kept me intrigued. All of the children in this novel are just so different from most YA characters out there and they had strong character flaws that made them feel more real as well as make them more interesting. I became so pulled into the lives of Victoria, Belle and Bice that I kept reading purely on the need to know what would happen to them.

Once the story started to sort itself out, it really took off. I couldn't put the book down and kept flipping pages up until the end. From what I've heard, this is the first book in a new series, and while rough around the edges, it showed great potential in future installments.
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LibraryThing member _Lily_
Another Faust by Daniel Nayeri and Dina Nayeri

Reviewed by Moirae the fates book reviews

One night, in cities all across Europe, five children vanish - only to appear, years later, at an exclusive New York party with a strange and elegant governess. Rumor and mystery follow the Faust teenagers to the
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cityā€™s most prestigious high school, where they soar to suspicious heights with the help of their benefactorā€™s extraordinary ā€œgifts.ā€

But as the students claw their way up - reading minds, erasing scenes, stopping time, stealing power, seducing with artificial beauty - the side-effects of their own addictions. And as they make further deals with the devil, they uncover secrets more shocking than their most
unforgivable sins.

At once chilling and wickedly satirical, this contemporary re-imaging of the Faustian bargain is a compelling tale of ambition, consequences, and ultimate redemption (Synopsis provided by goodreads.com)

This is a debut novel, however Daniel Nayeri has another book that is out (Another Pan).Which I would love to read Another Pan later this year.

I have always enjoyed books written by a team of authors, I think it adds something to the story. This is a brother sister team. I really enjoyed this book. I has so much fun while I was reading, it is however a very dark book. The teens in this book will do anything to get ahead and to be the best. Along with being a dark book, this is also a suspenseful edge-of-your-seat read.

All of the teens in this book are struggling with the repercussions you could say of their wish. Vileroy, (The governess that grants the wishes) does all she can to make the teens want more and more. Throughout the book we see what the power does to them, some want more and more and will do whatever it takes to get more, others however begin to rethink things.

There are some parts of this book that I wish had been expanded on, however the character development and the dialogue are spot on. This is a very entertaining read.

Over all rating
**** 4 out of 5 stars

Cover art:
I like the cover art, it has a dark vibe.

Obtained:
Thank you to Heather from Candlewick press for the copy for review.
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LibraryThing member pocketmermaid
I should have read Marlowe instead. Or even Goethe.

There were too many characters to keep up with, and the plot was so slow paced for me that eventually I changed the setting on my iPod to play it faster just so the story would move a little quicker. It didn't actually help.
LibraryThing member psteinke1122
I didnā€™t know that the whole ā€œmaking a deal with the devilā€ was known as a ā€œFaustian Bargainā€. In this story there are five kids who disappear from their homes and families to turn up five years later as the Faust siblings at the Marlowe Academy. The Faust siblings appear to only have a
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Governess who bestows on them some unusual gifts.

These gifts allow the kids to excel in the area for which they ultimately sold their soul. There are manipulations and deceit throughout the story and these machinations do tend to get a bit tedious and slow the story considerably.

Outside of the length of this story, I did enjoy the premise and most of the characters. Those that really embraced their deal were shallow and not really fleshed out. Those that were able to get out of their deal were more realistic and fully realized characters.

There are two more books in this series and they are based on different storiesā€¦I plan to read them to see how the Peter Pan and Jeckyl/Hyde stories play out.
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LibraryThing member HilAVer
A classic reworking of Christopher Marlowe and Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, this story stays true to the previous stories. Faust is much more like a classic character than it is a classic book, and in this way lends itself to retellings. Listening to this book had both its ups and its downs. The
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reader did a great job with the many different foreign accents of the characters, however there were times that I wish I could have easily refreshed my memory on a section that the audiobook format does not allow. My one major problem with the book is that there were too many main characters, and this made development of each one feel rushed. I do feel like it is a realtable to book to YA despite the fact that the characters live in a magical world. The five main characters all want something that they were not naturally blessed with and they are willing to do anything to get it. Many teens wish they were more beautiful, better at sports, or smarter, and these teens show how detrimental it can be to want things like that so much that you will do anything to get it.
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LibraryThing member elie26reads
I just finished this book and really liked it. It has alot of twists and turns and the ending was so what I wasn't expecting but I liked. Dont want to post any spoilers but if you dont have a problem with multiple charater pov (point of views)then I think you might enjoy this book.
LibraryThing member DarkFaerieTales
Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales.

Quick & Dirty: A paranormal twist on teen drama with a hard look at societal pressure, popularity, and coercion that leaves you questioning, how far would you go if you could to get what you want?

Opening Sentence: Victoria didnā€™t have time to play.

The
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Review:

The premise of Another Faust somewhat assumes that the reader is familiar with the story of the Faust myth, and is still an excellent read without that familiarity, creating a curiosity to learn more just to understand Another Faust better. There were plenty of paranormal elements to make this book just creepy enough, but not scary. It is obvious that the authors, Daniel and Dina Nayeri, are extremely well-read, which is good and bad. On one hand, references throughout the book add layers to the story, but on the other hand, anyone less well-read constantly has a nagging feeling that they are missing out on something, almost like a private joke.

The big questions about self in this book are what really stay with the reader and keep us connected, rather than the characters. What would be worth selling your soul for? Many would think there is nothing that would be worth it, but as we look deep into that selfish part of ourselves we could probably all find something. And thatā€™s where, even the characters that do not end up ā€œselling their soulsā€ in this book still end up selling a part of themselves with the right coercion. Basically Madame Vileroy creates a ā€œperfectā€ abusive relationship, in which she magnifies her adopted childrenā€™s faults to a point where they feel so trapped in the lies that they live that they will do almost anything to keep living those lies. It become clear that what they are really searching for is acceptance, however, their selfishness is exactly what keeps them from achieving that, and Madame Vileroy of course knows that and uses it for all itā€™s worth.

Ideally, with five main characters, the reader would relate to one of them more than the others, and in my opinion, the main flaw of this book is that the teenage characters are too exaggerated to be as real or relatable as they need to be to make the reader really care what happens to them. Given Christianā€™s background as stated at the beginning, and his character throughout the book, most readers are probably most sympathetic to him, but still donā€™t develop much closeness to him beyond that. The other characters are so incredibly selfish that they kind of deserve what they get along the way. It is also somewhat odd that the book begins when these five characters are ten years old, rather than as actual teenagers, as if ten was some magical age of accountability.

Another point made throughout the story is the prospect of what selling your soul entails. It is apparently not just a one time act but a state of selfish addiction and greed, almost impossible to overcome. Perhaps the most interesting character is Madame Vileroy herself, she remains a mystery throughout the book, even to the end. Her mystery is accentuated by a short flashback at the beginning of each chapter that gives just enough of a snippet to be barely informational but mostly intriguing. She is just an older, more practiced version of the children, and she seems to have everything figured out, however, like most people who think they know everything, she doesnā€™t. Her motives are somewhat confusing at times.

As the first book in a series, I would rate this personally as my second favorite of the series. It is creative, new, and well-thought out, but needed more character development and more excitement. Maybe a little more romance to spice it up, or maybe more physical danger. The teenage drama, even with a great twist, was just a little bland. This was not a difficult read, or boring by any means, but it could have been better, especially given the originality of the plot base.

Notable Scene:

ā€œThis is my job. To watch over you.ā€ Madame Vileroy whispered. ā€œSee whoā€™s coming?ā€

Victoria noticed Lucy and her mother, each carrying trays full of Magnolia cupcakes.

ā€œDonā€™t worry. I know about her campaign.ā€

Madame Vileroy rolled her eyes, a move that was disconcerting to Victoria, who couldnā€™t help but gaze into the governessā€™s strange left eye. ā€œYes, the election. But you canā€™t think of a single fun thing to do besides? With all that information?ā€

ā€œWhat do you mean?ā€ asked Victoria.

ā€œYou watched her for four hours last night.ā€

Victoria waited.

ā€œWhereā€™s the clever Victoria I used to know?ā€ Vileroy goaded. ā€œThe girl that used to be my most talented, the one that could always give us a good laugh.ā€

Victoria picked up her pace and approached Lucy and her mother.

ā€œHi, Mrs. Spencer. How are you?ā€ Victoria said with concern. ā€œIā€™m so sorry to hear about the divorce settlement.ā€

FTC Advisory: Candlewick Press provided me with a copy of Another Faust. No goody bags, sponsorships, ā€œmaterial connections,ā€ or bribes were exchanged for my review.
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LibraryThing member Rosa.Mill
I chose to read this book cause I loved the cover and the title sounded interesting; I love new takes on old tales, whether it's high literature or fairy tales. But this was kind of a strange book. It was easy to get into but I had to take a break in the middle so I could read the new Sookie
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Stackhouse because of due dates and that made it hard to get back into. Five unhappy children are whisked away from their homes in the middle of the night at the age of ten. They are all given special powers as part of their deals with their governess or in order to entice them into making deals. The powers threw me off a little. Since I had never read Faust I couldn't figure out exactly how the stories were connected, but by the end I think I figured it out. We watch the children go through a year at one of the most prestigious high schools in New York as they try to use their powers to get what they want. In the end the children must each decide for themselves how they want to live their lives.
I found the parts regarding the governesses life at the beginning of each chapter and occasionally tucked into a chapter, very interesting. The authors had her interacting with famous figures and learning how futures can be affected. I also really liked all of the interesting ideas regarding language. While this book is probably not for everyone (the ending is a little ambiguous and I know some people really hate that) if you do choose to read it there is definitely a little be careful what you wish for going on that should have close attention paid to.
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LibraryThing member Rosa.Mill
I chose to read this book cause I loved the cover and the title sounded interesting; I love new takes on old tales, whether it's high literature or fairy tales. But this was kind of a strange book. It was easy to get into but I had to take a break in the middle so I could read the new Sookie
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Stackhouse because of due dates and that made it hard to get back into. Five unhappy children are whisked away from their homes in the middle of the night at the age of ten. They are all given special powers as part of their deals with their governess or in order to entice them into making deals. The powers threw me off a little. Since I had never read Faust I couldn't figure out exactly how the stories were connected, but by the end I think I figured it out. We watch the children go through a year at one of the most prestigious high schools in New York as they try to use their powers to get what they want. In the end the children must each decide for themselves how they want to live their lives.
I found the parts regarding the governesses life at the beginning of each chapter and occasionally tucked into a chapter, very interesting. The authors had her interacting with famous figures and learning how futures can be affected. I also really liked all of the interesting ideas regarding language. While this book is probably not for everyone (the ending is a little ambiguous and I know some people really hate that) if you do choose to read it there is definitely a little be careful what you wish for going on that should have close attention paid to.
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LibraryThing member Rosa.Mill
I chose to read this book cause I loved the cover and the title sounded interesting; I love new takes on old tales, whether it's high literature or fairy tales. But this was kind of a strange book. It was easy to get into but I had to take a break in the middle so I could read the new Sookie
Show More
Stackhouse because of due dates and that made it hard to get back into. Five unhappy children are whisked away from their homes in the middle of the night at the age of ten. They are all given special powers as part of their deals with their governess or in order to entice them into making deals. The powers threw me off a little. Since I had never read Faust I couldn't figure out exactly how the stories were connected, but by the end I think I figured it out. We watch the children go through a year at one of the most prestigious high schools in New York as they try to use their powers to get what they want. In the end the children must each decide for themselves how they want to live their lives.
I found the parts regarding the governesses life at the beginning of each chapter and occasionally tucked into a chapter, very interesting. The authors had her interacting with famous figures and learning how futures can be affected. I also really liked all of the interesting ideas regarding language. While this book is probably not for everyone (the ending is a little ambiguous and I know some people really hate that) if you do choose to read it there is definitely a little be careful what you wish for going on that should have close attention paid to.
Show Less
LibraryThing member Rosa.Mill
I chose to read this book cause I loved the cover and the title sounded interesting; I love new takes on old tales, whether it's high literature or fairy tales. But this was kind of a strange book. It was easy to get into but I had to take a break in the middle so I could read the new Sookie
Show More
Stackhouse because of due dates and that made it hard to get back into. Five unhappy children are whisked away from their homes in the middle of the night at the age of ten. They are all given special powers as part of their deals with their governess or in order to entice them into making deals. The powers threw me off a little. Since I had never read Faust I couldn't figure out exactly how the stories were connected, but by the end I think I figured it out. We watch the children go through a year at one of the most prestigious high schools in New York as they try to use their powers to get what they want. In the end the children must each decide for themselves how they want to live their lives.
I found the parts regarding the governesses life at the beginning of each chapter and occasionally tucked into a chapter, very interesting. The authors had her interacting with famous figures and learning how futures can be affected. I also really liked all of the interesting ideas regarding language. While this book is probably not for everyone (the ending is a little ambiguous and I know some people really hate that) if you do choose to read it there is definitely a little be careful what you wish for going on that should have close attention paid to.
Show Less

Rating

(105 ratings; 3.2)

Call number

YA B Nay
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