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3.38 AVERAGE
3.38 AVERAGE
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
This was good but the other Goosebumps book I read is a bit better then this one. An enjoyable entry in the series, piano music is always a great stable in the horror genre.
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
surprisingly really good
challenging
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I always wanted to take up piano lessons as a child, but I never got around to it. This is pretty much a simple, but psychologically frightening short story. Once again, I find myself wishing that I had read books as a child. This may have been one to spook me as a child. Now, this one wasn't really scary, just creepy. At first, I thought the cover was completely misleading, but it isn't. idk what else to say really except that I think for a novella for kids, this one's pretty creepy for any age.
The thirteenth Goosebumps book is a LOT different than its adaptation. The episode of the same name in the TV show takes place mostly (if not completely) at the school. In the book, Jerry (Jerome) and his parents move into this house, that is described as having a large family room downstairs off the dining room or kitchen (it's a little confusing because in one chapter his mother bangs her knee on a coffee table, but in another it mentions the dining table chairs. 🤷🏻♂️) and having his bedroom upstairs as well as a bonus room upstairs. I'm assuming this house is basically a 2.5 bedroom house.
This book is another that doesn't have many characters in it. There's Jerome, his two parents, Dr. Shreek (the Piano teacher), Mr. Toggle (mechanical genius/something of a custodian), Kim Li Chin (an Asian girl at school; right on!), and Dr. Frye (a psychiatrist).
In reading this, you really find the parents to be a bit maddening. There's a particular scene where the parents are refusing to see the truth even though it's happening literally inches from them. Dr. Frye is a character that misleads and twists a psychological truth to support his own narrative. I'm not an expert, but I can tell when someone is speaking in generalities or twisting the meaning of something that would actually be a mental disorder into an explanation of what a "normal" person "thinks" they're experiencing. Dr. Frye went into his profession, possibly, just for the money. You get the impression when he's quick to suggest discussing something at their next meeting; of course he wants another meeting. He'll get more money. 🙄
First, the lessons take place at Jerry's house, but then across town in the school at which Dr. Shreek is a piano teacher. I pictured Shreek's voice to be a somewhat dramatic, over the top, imploring wail. At first, you kinda wanna like him, but he has this unhealthy, incredibly odd, and downright <i>creepy</i> interest in Jerry's hands that after they first meet is something very difficult to justify as merely an encouragement tactic. Jerry eventually has a nightmare where the teacher tells him to play the piano forever. In the dream, Shreek's voice was even more dramatic and over the top, and the wail was even more intense.
Kim Li Chin is somewhat of a interesting addition to this particular story. Don't get me wrong, I thought it was cool to see a white kid being friends with an Asian kid (although that's something that never happened in my Elementary and Middle schools. Don't really know why.🤷🏻♂️). She serves as that one person that gives the new person in town and at school a chance, so her presence is fitting. Mr. Toggle is a very enigmatic character. One that you don't really understand until the very end.
It's one of the best Goosebumps, that's for sure. 5 out of 5 stars.
The thirteenth Goosebumps book is a LOT different than its adaptation. The episode of the same name in the TV show takes place mostly (if not completely) at the school. In the book, Jerry (Jerome) and his parents move into this house, that is described as having a large family room downstairs off the dining room or kitchen (it's a little confusing because in one chapter his mother bangs her knee on a coffee table, but in another it mentions the dining table chairs. 🤷🏻♂️) and having his bedroom upstairs as well as a bonus room upstairs. I'm assuming this house is basically a 2.5 bedroom house.
This book is another that doesn't have many characters in it. There's Jerome, his two parents, Dr. Shreek (the Piano teacher), Mr. Toggle (mechanical genius/something of a custodian), Kim Li Chin (an Asian girl at school; right on!), and Dr. Frye (a psychiatrist).
In reading this, you really find the parents to be a bit maddening. There's a particular scene where the parents are refusing to see the truth even though it's happening literally inches from them. Dr. Frye is a character that misleads and twists a psychological truth to support his own narrative. I'm not an expert, but I can tell when someone is speaking in generalities or twisting the meaning of something that would actually be a mental disorder into an explanation of what a "normal" person "thinks" they're experiencing. Dr. Frye went into his profession, possibly, just for the money. You get the impression when he's quick to suggest discussing something at their next meeting; of course he wants another meeting. He'll get more money. 🙄
First, the lessons take place at Jerry's house, but then across town in the school at which Dr. Shreek is a piano teacher. I pictured Shreek's voice to be a somewhat dramatic, over the top, imploring wail. At first, you kinda wanna like him, but he has this unhealthy, incredibly odd, and downright <i>creepy</i> interest in Jerry's hands that after they first meet is something very difficult to justify as merely an encouragement tactic. Jerry eventually has a nightmare where the teacher tells him to play the piano forever. In the dream, Shreek's voice was even more dramatic and over the top, and the wail was even more intense.
Kim Li Chin is somewhat of a interesting addition to this particular story. Don't get me wrong, I thought it was cool to see a white kid being friends with an Asian kid (although that's something that never happened in my Elementary and Middle schools. Don't really know why.🤷🏻♂️). She serves as that one person that gives the new person in town and at school a chance, so her presence is fitting. Mr. Toggle is a very enigmatic character. One that you don't really understand until the very end.
It's one of the best Goosebumps, that's for sure. 5 out of 5 stars.
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
N/A
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Goosebumps. This is the series that kept me reading through my childhood. More than any other series, Goosebumps kept me interested in reading, and R.L. Stein is a wonderful children's writer. I applaud his efforts, and can't express enough my gratitude for the series.
dark
medium-paced
I felt that this Goosebumps installment had so much potential. I personally find robots/animatronics to be extremely creepy and the visuals I got while reading this book were indeed creepy. But... I dunno. The added plot point of the ghost in the house was just kind of out of place. R.L. Stine seems to do that often as the series progresses, I think. He'll have one cohesive story and then he'll randomly throw something completely out of left field into the mix that just leaves me a bit perplexed. But the ambience and main plot was definitely creepy and reading it while listening to spooky organ music is the way to go!