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3.71 AVERAGE
3.71 AVERAGE
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
The clowns were absolutely terrifying, and I thought this was a brilliant concept for the final installment but the story felt incredibly rushed, especially at the end.
I'm unabashedly a lover of more simplistic, easy-read YA novels, and Arden is my favorite in the genre after penning the lovely Winternight trilogy. This rounds out a more middle school-oriented spooky quartet and unfortunately it's not the ending readers or the characters deserve. Closer to a 2/5 if not for the fact I did genuinely get goosebumps and air fist-bumping enthusiasm at various points in the story, which is certainly not the case for every horror-esque novel I've read of late.
The problem with this addition is simple - the ending. After a solid buildup, new character development, and setting of the spooky scene Arden rushes to wrap things up far, far too succinctly. I swear it goes from beginning of a grand finale, to the final page within 3 very short pages. Easily the most confused with an author's decision I've been - have to wonder if something went wrong in the writing process with deadlines or something of the sort, it's the only valid explanation for the astonishingly poor treatment for the conclusion to not just a single book, but an entire series.
The problem with this addition is simple - the ending. After a solid buildup, new character development, and setting of the spooky scene Arden rushes to wrap things up far, far too succinctly. I swear it goes from beginning of a grand finale, to the final page within 3 very short pages. Easily the most confused with an author's decision I've been - have to wonder if something went wrong in the writing process with deadlines or something of the sort, it's the only valid explanation for the astonishingly poor treatment for the conclusion to not just a single book, but an entire series.
I loved this book just as much as the first three. It had me on the edge of my seat. I love this series so much! I have to say the smiling man is one of my favorite villains (I wish we got to learn a bit more about him but I guess that’s the point of his character: he’s mysterious. We’re not supposed to understand his motivation although I would totally read a Smiling Man Prequel). I’m so sad that it’s over now but I will be reading this quartet annually (each book in its designated season of course).
Another creepy, exciting book in this series. I really enjoy the friendship dynamics and how unnerving yet human the antagonist becomes.
This book started off great, yet fell flat, and is disjointed in the abrupt way it ended. What happened to the smiling man?
Didn’t hate this but I agree with most reviewers that the ending was too neat, too rushed, and didn’t allow for any conclusion with the lore of the Smiling Man.