Riding Icarus: Amazon.co.uk: Lily Hyde: Books

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Product Description

Book Description
A magical modern fairytale set in Kiev, featuring a girl called Masha who lives in a flying trolleybus called Icarus.

Product Description
When rich Uncle Igor sends her mother abroad to work, Masha stays in Kiev and moves into an old, disused trolleybus called Icarus. But one night there is a terrible storm and Icarus takes off! Masha is transported to an enchanted place where she discovers that, on midsummer eve, she will be able to wish for whatever her heart desires. But will Masha be able to find the enchanted place again and work out her heart’s desire in time? And will she make the right wish to bring her mother back home so they can escape Igor’s clutches for ever?

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Customer Reviews

41 Reviews

5 star:		(15)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(14)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(0)

Average Customer Review

3.8 out of 5 stars (41 customer reviews)

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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Unforgettable characterisation - the next big fantasy film?, 27 Jun 2008

By	R. WEST-SOLEY "raldon" (Birmingham, UK) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

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I was in two minds about this before I ordered - I knew it was a book aimed at children, but so were the Harry Potter novels in the infancy of the series; many adults found a kind of happy, fanciful regression to the imaginativeness of childhood in those books, so I thought I'd give this new title a try. Also, I liked the link to Russian fairytales - the nostalgia-steeped aspect of this really appealed to my more romantic side!

Further comparison with Harry Potter would be irrelevant, save that you sense a similar dark undertone throughout the book, which flows brilliantly from scene to scene. With more than a hint of the surreal, characters are depicted in vibrant colour and detail, and I wouldn't be surprised if they end up being transferred to the big screen before long - the book is screaming out for a dramatisation on TV or film, and I wouldn't be surprised if it is a huge hit.

Children - it's a rollercoaster ride of a story which you will love. Adults - it's an easy read, but a fantastically fun one - spare it a couple of hours and it'll lift your heart a little!

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6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Magical fairytale, 3 Jun 2008

By	kehs (Hertfordshire, England) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)

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This story was inspired by the author's love of Russian fairytales. It's a fantastic journey into the mind of a young girl called Masha. She has some amazing adventures involving witches, Cossacks and a house on chicken legs (Baba Yaga). She has to discover the whereabouts of a magical fern on Midsummer's eve in order to wish for her heart's desire. Will she get her mother back? Do they all live happily ever after? You'll have to read the book to find out. I'm glad I did because I found it to be a marvellous, quirky tale in which reality blurs with magic and is an enchanting read. However, the blurb has 9 as the recommended reading age and I disagree with that. I feel this book covers issues that are a little too dark for a young child and would be better suited to 12 year olds and upwards. If you enjoyed Life of Pi, and love dark fairytales, then this is one for you to look out for.

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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A curious and wonderful story where dream magic and old superstitions are intertwined with modern day Russian intrigue, 30 May 2008

By	ELH Browning "Esther-Lou" (Kingston Bagpuize, Oxon) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)

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Masha lives in Kiev on an old trolley-bus, Icarus, with her Grandmother and the first chapter was electric, reminding me of Dorothy's cataclysmic flight to Oz as stormy weather carries Masha on a vivid and scary journey to the unknown. Masha has crossed the boundary of reality into a overlying dimension where dreams and fairytale mingle with the everyday and here she meets an traditional Cossack like those who once adventured freely in the Ukrainian steppe.
Masha's parents are both missing, her father in the Russian Far East and her mother was sent to Turkey by the malevolent "Uncle" Igor, a mafia character. The adult reader can guess of the sort of existence she lived and the evils of this Uncle. However the book is squarely aimed at young readers and so it does not, rightly, cover this in any more details.
There's an interesting cast of characters from Gena her best friend, and his mother; Uncle Igor's affluent but flawed family; two Cossacks from the parallel world, Nechipor and a young girl; and other bit-part characters who add life and flavour throughout.

Lyrically written with brilliant descriptions and great words (such as "the Hollyhocks fluttered petals like bright rags"; "faded blue onion dome of the church"), the story flows fast, mystical with a sinister undercurrent. This exciting pace barely gives the reader chance to pause for breath, and time ticks on as Masha tries to solve a riddle, how to make use of the difference between the midsummer dates of the new calendar, in order to attain her heart's desire.
As we near the end of the story several threads interweave at an ancient Slavic festival and a manic Baba Yaga's celebration, more madcap than that Alice at the Hatter's tea party. The Cossack plays for time so Masha can escape into the enchanted midsummer evening to ask for her heart's desire. But how can she know what to ask for? I loved Masha's wish, the heartfelt wish of a child rather than the expected or the sensible, and enjoyed seeing how the embodiment of her yearning still gave her what she sought.

This is an original, intriguing and brilliant mix of reality and mystical. Hyde cleverly combines contemporary English writing with Russian fairytale to create a curious and wonderful story where dream magic and old superstitions are intertwined with modern day intrigue. The flavour of the book reminded me of the surrealism of Kate Atkinson (Human Croquet/Emotionally weird), or a Russian Life of Pi swirled with Alice in Wonderland. The reader is never sure where a plausible tale and magical twists start and begin: you just need to let go of the rational and flow with the ride, as children do naturally, and you'll thoroughly enjoy it.
All in all, an interesting mix of elements, dreams and midsummer enchantment, superstition and witchcraft, modern Russian mafia, the Cossacks of old and a Siberian tiger. Both thought-provoking and perfectly pitched for junior readers.

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Most Recent Customer Reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars Interesting thoughtful tale for the younger reader
For something magical, but different from the Englishness of Harry Potter, this is worth a read.

Published 6 months ago by Richard Murphy

4.0 out of 5 stars Its not Oz...
But the idea of getting transported to a magical elsewhere during a storm is reminiscent of The Wizard of Oz. Read more

Published 7 months ago by Lark

5.0 out of 5 stars Charming with a hint of modern menace
I read Riding Icarus in one sitting. From the opening page I was drawn into Masha's world. Set in modern day Kiev, Masha lives on a trolleybus on the outskirts of the city. Read more

Published 7 months ago by H.P.

4.0 out of 5 stars Fun and surreal, but shallow considering the length.
Whilst this is a book definitely aimed at children, I found it relatively shallow. The characters are likable enough, but some lack depth to an extent that they seem irrelevant... Read more

Published 9 months ago by Jon Bond

4.0 out of 5 stars Its a bit different, a bit Russian and a bit alright
Riding Icarus is written by Lily Hyde, a British freelance writer and journalist based in Kiev where she has been covering cultural and social issues in the former Soviet Union... Read more

Published 9 months ago by Keith Joseph

5.0 out of 5 stars Exciting Children's Literature
This exciting children's novel is a delight to read. Its energy and verve reminded me of Salman Rushdie's Haroun and the Sea of Stories, but the culture here is firmly Eastern... Read more

Published 10 months ago by Mr. A. D. H. Lowe

3.0 out of 5 stars A solid read
Its nice to see a kids book that tries to teach a little something about the world outside our shores. Read more

Published 11 months ago by Cat

5.0 out of 5 stars Delightful and charming
I read quite a lot of children's books despite being childless and nearly middle-aged, but I've not seen many books like "Riding Icarus". Read more

Published 12 months ago by Michele Fry

5.0 out of 5 stars Enchanting
This beautiful story is well written, and captivating. I agree, there are some words in the novel beyond the grasp of 9 year olds. Read more

Published 12 months ago by Well Read

3.0 out of 5 stars A Rambling but enjoyable read
The story is quite a good one for children, being a kind of modern fairytale; fanciful and ultimately having a predictable "nice" ending. Read more

Published 12 months ago by G. Horsham

› See all 41 customer reviews...

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