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3.59 AVERAGE
3.59 AVERAGE
coleridgegirl's review against another edition
5.0
Yes, that’s right. Here I am with a five star review of a cheesy YA horror book from the 90s. Do I have any shame writing this after just giving King Lear three stars? No. First, Shakespeare has his own rating system (as do most classics). I don’t feel like it’s even fair to judge them on the same scale as other books. So a Shakespeare three is still basically a five. Secondly, this page is MY reading record. It’s what I liked and didn’t, and I try to add my thoughts after reading. Although this is an old read, it broke my heart when I was a teenager and I needed this book when I read it. It’s another horror as metaphor thing I love so much, and at the time when I was reading this, I was very depressed and in a constant state of suicidal ideation. This meant a lot to me then.
No, I’m not an idiot. Objectively, I understand Shakespeare is better than Pike. Subjectively and emotionally, though, this book affected me more than King Lear did at this point in my life.
No, I’m not an idiot. Objectively, I understand Shakespeare is better than Pike. Subjectively and emotionally, though, this book affected me more than King Lear did at this point in my life.
apoppyinthewind's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Complicated
- Loveable characters? Complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Complicated
3.0
I say this in the best way possible way, what the fuck? No, seriously what the fuck did I just read? The premise of the story is teen Teresa is taking the family car and running away from home when she picks up two good lucking but odd people named Freedom Jack & Poppy Corn hitch-hiking in the middle of a rainy night. Sounds like a solid horror set up, right? And it is, there is clearly something wrong with Freedom Jack (aka Free) & Poppy but they spend the entire car ride swapping stories with Teresa about why she's running away & a story about a couple named Jack & Dianne John & Candy.
Not a tribute to beloved comedian John Candy, at least I don't think so?
The sad story of John & Candy is clearly about Free & Poppy's past relationship, though poor Teresa is clueless to this. The night becomes more bizarre as Teresa drives Free & Poppy to visit Free's fortune telling "Mother" and Poppy's priest "Father". In the meanwhile Teresa is recounting her own sad love story that made her run away, finding herself drawn to Free, and, for some odd reason, starting to feel sick.
The reveal twist is (really, skip if you do not want to be spoiled) Teresa isn't actually running away and didn't pick up hitchhikers. She's in her bathtub at home bleeding out from slitting her wrist after discovering her boyfriend with her best friend. Free & Poppy were John & Candy but now they're ghosts who are basically playing the devil and angel on Teresa's shoulders. Free is trying to tempt Teresa into going to hell while Poppy is trying to lead Teresa to light and save her. Ultimately Poppy succeeds in helping Teresa and Free, bringing both to the light. Teresa survives her attempt, has a new perspective, and discovers the orderly at her bedside when she woke up is Johnny, the son of Poppy.
It was not where I thought the story was going but it's classic Pike to take a typical horror scenario and go into afterlife, spiritual territory. Teen me would have eaten this up. Adult me is amazed that this was published for teenagers in the 90s, what with the gore, drug use, multiple mentions of sex, and depiction of suicide. Not that I think these subjects should be avoided in YA, quite the opposite but this book is quite different from the YA I've read recently.
Would I recommend it? Hard to say, my nostalgia goggles are pretty tight for anything Christopher Pike and I only gave it 3 stars because the writing quality is mid. Yet, on the other hand I did just write 4 paragraphs for this review so it clearly left an impression. It is a product of the early 90s and a bizarre story so if you like 80s/90s YA horror, yes it's worth checking out if you see it secondhand somewhere or the local library still has a copy.
Not a tribute to beloved comedian John Candy, at least I don't think so?
The sad story of John & Candy is clearly about Free & Poppy's past relationship, though poor Teresa is clueless to this. The night becomes more bizarre as Teresa drives Free & Poppy to visit Free's fortune telling "Mother" and Poppy's priest "Father". In the meanwhile Teresa is recounting her own sad love story that made her run away, finding herself drawn to Free, and, for some odd reason, starting to feel sick.
The reveal twist is (really, skip if you do not want to be spoiled)
It was not where I thought the story was going but it's classic Pike to take a typical horror scenario and go into afterlife, spiritual territory. Teen me would have eaten this up. Adult me is amazed that this was published for teenagers in the 90s, what with the gore, drug use, multiple mentions of sex, and depiction of suicide. Not that I think these subjects should be avoided in YA, quite the opposite but this book is quite different from the YA I've read recently.
Would I recommend it? Hard to say, my nostalgia goggles are pretty tight for anything Christopher Pike and I only gave it 3 stars because the writing quality is mid. Yet, on the other hand I did just write 4 paragraphs for this review so it clearly left an impression. It is a product of the early 90s and a bizarre story so if you like 80s/90s YA horror, yes it's worth checking out if you see it secondhand somewhere or the local library still has a copy.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Death, Drug abuse, Gun violence, Infidelity, Self harm, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Suicide attempt, Murder, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
jessi_clamshells's review against another edition
5.0
The Road to Nowhere is a strange dreamy trip down memory lane for 3 lonely teens that each have a sad life story of people they once knew that they tell each other on this long strange road trip they go on. The most compelling story was John’s , a brilliant kid who had a bright academic future ahead, how he basically got screwed over by a nasty teacher after getting caught trying to help his girlfriend ace a test. In helping her succeed he ruined his own life. Theresa’s story was also sad but I was less invested in her story, though I did end up feeling sympathy towards her. She goes through a bad breakup and breaks down completely and you can’t help but feel like her anger and bitterness is completely justified. Will this road trip be one of healing or will it make her spiral even further down a dark path? Overall a compelling and sad tale.
paulabrandon's review
1.0
I read this because it is another Christopher Pike book that I haven't read yet that is due to be adapted as part of Netflix's The Midnight Club TV show.
I gave 4 stars to Witch and The Midnight Club, but this was a bit of a stinker! Like all good authors, Pike is entitled to fart out a few misfires, I suppose.
Teresa Chafey is running away from home after her boyfriend dumps her for her best friend. She picks up two hitchhikers, Freedom Jack and Poppy Corn. While driving to San Francisco, Teresa relates the story of how her relationship ended. Freedom Jack and Poppy Corn take turns telling Teresa the story of a couple named John and Candy, ill-fated lovers who never seemed to have things go right for them.
Both Teresa's story, and Freedom Jack and Poppy Corn's story, aren't all that interesting. The strong characterisation and emotional connections between characters usually found in Pike's work is absent here. I felt it was entirely too obvious what Freedom Jack and Poppy Corn's origins would be, even when it didn't make much sense for that to be the case, and no explanations were forthcoming. By the end, this was playing out like a bad, predictable episode of Touched By An Angel.
This really was quite terrible. Dull for the most part, predictable, and dare I say it, corny. It's a road to nowhere indeed. I can think of a dozen Pike books better suited to be adapted for the screen.
I gave 4 stars to Witch and The Midnight Club, but this was a bit of a stinker! Like all good authors, Pike is entitled to fart out a few misfires, I suppose.
Teresa Chafey is running away from home after her boyfriend dumps her for her best friend. She picks up two hitchhikers, Freedom Jack and Poppy Corn. While driving to San Francisco, Teresa relates the story of how her relationship ended. Freedom Jack and Poppy Corn take turns telling Teresa the story of a couple named John and Candy, ill-fated lovers who never seemed to have things go right for them.
Both Teresa's story, and Freedom Jack and Poppy Corn's story, aren't all that interesting. The strong characterisation and emotional connections between characters usually found in Pike's work is absent here. I felt it was entirely too obvious what Freedom Jack and Poppy Corn's origins would be, even when it didn't make much sense for that to be the case, and no explanations were forthcoming. By the end, this was playing out like a bad, predictable episode of Touched By An Angel.
This really was quite terrible. Dull for the most part, predictable, and dare I say it, corny. It's a road to nowhere indeed. I can think of a dozen Pike books better suited to be adapted for the screen.
the_randomness_of_meg's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
4.0
fearnerd's review against another edition
5.0
Teresa Chafey decides to run away from home one rainy night. And just as she gets started on her journey, she picks up two strange hitchhikers Poppy Corn and Freedom Jack. To pass time on their journey (to where exactly...who knows?), Free (as he likes to be called) suggests that they pass the time telling stories. While Free and Poppy tell stories about close friends Candy and John, Teresa tells them her own story of heartbreak and betrayal. Teresa believes she's leaving all of troubles goodbye, but they may just be beginning.
Let's run down those YA Thriller totals:
4 dead bodies
Hot dog bun machine Fu
Mini-mart shoot-out Fu
Gun Fu
Steak knife Fu
Gratuitous storytelling
Gratuitous cheating
Gratuitous chain smoking
Gratuitous foreshadowing
Gratuitous workplace LTA
Gratuitous drug use
Gratuitous song lyrics
Gratuitous today sponge
Hanky Panky: First time sex in an eerie castle. I still remembered one of the book's lines from my childhood. "She had left her watch at the old hag's place, along with her virginity..."
Book Cover: This is one of my faves, AND it was this cover that got me to buy THIS BOOK, my first Christopher Pike book. After Road To Nowhere, I needed all of the others.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ out of 5. Fear Nerd says, "Check it out!"
Wow! This book holds up incredibly well, and I can see why I was immediately addicted to CPike as a youngster. It makes some Fear Street books feel like Goosebumps entries. Glad to hear that this book will be adapted in The Midnight Club series.
Let's run down those YA Thriller totals:
4 dead bodies
Hot dog bun machine Fu
Mini-mart shoot-out Fu
Gun Fu
Steak knife Fu
Gratuitous storytelling
Gratuitous cheating
Gratuitous chain smoking
Gratuitous foreshadowing
Gratuitous workplace LTA
Gratuitous drug use
Gratuitous song lyrics
Gratuitous today sponge
Hanky Panky: First time sex in an eerie castle. I still remembered one of the book's lines from my childhood. "She had left her watch at the old hag's place, along with her virginity..."
Book Cover: This is one of my faves, AND it was this cover that got me to buy THIS BOOK, my first Christopher Pike book. After Road To Nowhere, I needed all of the others.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ out of 5. Fear Nerd says, "Check it out!"
Wow! This book holds up incredibly well, and I can see why I was immediately addicted to CPike as a youngster. It makes some Fear Street books feel like Goosebumps entries. Glad to hear that this book will be adapted in The Midnight Club series.
kolbilane's review against another edition
3.0
I think "Road to Nowhere" is my favorite of Christopher Pike's work. The mystery was intriguing and I wanted to know what was going to happen. Of course, I could guess the ending fairly easily, but I loved the back and forth between the three characters and the weird locations they'd stop at during their road trip. My biggest issue was the ending. That's a personal preference though, I did NOT want a happy ending.
bbrown1987's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Suicide attempt