When you place a girl, who only days earlier was found wild and battered in the bush, a girl who doesn't even know what waffles are and who is irrationally afraid of the television, amongst a group of spoiled and stuck up daughters of the wealthy in an exclusive all girls boarding school, is it really any wonder that she doesn't quite fit in?

The world has changed, what Tessa remembers does not match what is before her. How is it she is able to remember names and dates from the past but nothing from the present? But it is more then just facts she is remembering, it is memories of a life lived long ago. But what has any of that to do with where she came from and how she came to be alone in the bush with such injuries?

Thyla is about a girl desperate to remember who she is, but the more she remembers the harder she is finding it to not believe she is crazy. On the surface this is a mystery filled with lost memories, dark secrets, heartbreak and loss; a tale of Tasmania's unique fauna, Australia's convict history and the supernatural. But at its core this is the story of Tessa, a girl who is discovering her identity, forming friendships and falling in love. Definitely one to read. ( )

This novel's mystery had me hooked from the first page. Actually I think I was hooked from the moment I read the back of the book and the acknowledgements at the beginning and the story did not disappoint. In fact I was so hooked that I finished this story in less than a day and after reading some during my lunch break, seriously thought about not going back to work and finishing the story there and then instead.

Read the rest of my review at : http://sapphireddragon.blogspot.com/2011/06/review-thyla-by-kate-gordon.html ( )

This sounds like Ultraviolet, which makes me want to read it even more.

I loved the beginning of this book, and it saddens me that I have to give it a two. The writing style drew me in- the unusual narration, the mystery, the raw emotion. I think the ideas behind the story had alot of potential. But in the end the supernatural elements and the action fell flat. Everything happened in a rush at the end, explanations were missing, the action wasn't even interesting, the characters were left underdeveloped, the enemy was too mysterious and one dimensional. Overall, I praise the writing style and inspiration of the author, but feel her general fantasy/world building skills to be a bit lacking. ( )

Thyla was a really interesting book, but the second half was just filled with info-dumping and explaining what had happened which kinda killed the story for me. I don't plan on picking up the rest of the series. ( )