Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.94 AVERAGE
3.94 AVERAGE
I couldn’t put this book down but I also don’t know that I could recommend it in earnest. I really enjoyed hanging around this group of friends, basking in the summer after school lets out, exploring mysteries that lead to even more questions. But it’s a long journey, and convoluted, and it wraps up tidily without really answering much of the lore that was being built out. The coming of age ended up much stronger than the horror here, and after a lot of promise, it just fizzles out.
dark
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Loveable characters:
Yes
Content Warnings
Minor: Animal death
An almost perfect kids-on-bikes horror story, if you can condone the obvious parallels to King's IT. Which I couldn't as much the first time I read this, almost 20 years ago, but now I'm over it (no pun intended) and could enjoy it for its own merits.
It captures the summerly feelings one had as a kid, the notion of endless summer, so well, and because those days are gone forever, there's melancholia seeping through the lines along with the joy. And the horror elements are very well done, too. The only thing that bothered me was the character work for the protagonists. Not all the boys are equally well worked out. Duane is done the best; Mike and Dale are practically the same character, only distinguishable by Mike's religiousness and Dale's brother Lawrence. Their motives, their strong sense of morals, and their courage are the same. Jim is the one with a chip on his shoulder, that's his only clear attribute; and Kevin... is there, too. He stays the palest of them all.
Nevertheless, I enjoyed myself very much, even though -or maybe because - the horrific death of Duane. This scene stayed with me all those years, and it will continue to do so. It was a masterstroke to kill off this heartbreakingly unique kid so early in the story; it keeps the reader on their toes.
I also recommend to anyone who enjoyed thos book the sequel, A Winter Haunting. But get ready to be saddened again.
It captures the summerly feelings one had as a kid, the notion of endless summer, so well, and because those days are gone forever, there's melancholia seeping through the lines along with the joy. And the horror elements are very well done, too. The only thing that bothered me was the character work for the protagonists. Not all the boys are equally well worked out. Duane is done the best; Mike and Dale are practically the same character, only distinguishable by Mike's religiousness and Dale's brother Lawrence. Their motives, their strong sense of morals, and their courage are the same. Jim is the one with a chip on his shoulder, that's his only clear attribute; and Kevin... is there, too. He stays the palest of them all.
Nevertheless, I enjoyed myself very much, even though -
I also recommend to anyone who enjoyed thos book the sequel, A Winter Haunting. But get ready to be saddened again.
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Summer of Night is a combination of horror, suspense, mystery, and coming-of-age. It is at times grotesque, at times creepy, and at times kind of heartwarming. I got both Stephen King and Stranger Things vibes (although some others note A Boy's Life feel as well, which I haven't read yet).
My favorite parts of this:
-the 1960s Midwest smalltown setting
-the main characters - a group of mostly eleven-year-old kiddos that are sweet and funny and distinct and very, very believable/realistic and a few standout adults (Memo, I ♥️ you)
-the deep nostalgia I felt reading this (despite me not even having been a thought in the 1960s)
-the mystery of the who/what/why
-the ending, which gave me that warm and fuzzy feeling that I so desperately wanted after going through this horrific journey with these kids
But this wasn't perfect. The explanations of who/what/why are shallow if not entirely nonexistent. There is no real jaw dropping reveal that I was hoping for (such as a character we didn't know was involved). However, there are a few WTF moments that I needed recovery time on.
I really enjoyed my time with this and would love to read more Dan Simmons. This had so much atmosphere that it put me in the mood for more reads in this same genre combination and for fall (even though this takes place in summer, the creepy portions feel very autumn like and would be a great read in that season as well).
I'd probably put this somewhere between a 4.25 and 4.5 so rounding to 4 Stars.
My favorite parts of this:
-the 1960s Midwest smalltown setting
-the main characters - a group of mostly eleven-year-old kiddos that are sweet and funny and distinct and very, very believable/realistic and a few standout adults (Memo, I ♥️ you)
-the deep nostalgia I felt reading this (despite me not even having been a thought in the 1960s)
-the mystery of the who/what/why
-the ending, which gave me that warm and fuzzy feeling that I so desperately wanted after going through this horrific journey with these kids
But this wasn't perfect. The explanations of who/what/why are shallow if not entirely nonexistent. There is no real jaw dropping reveal that I was hoping for (such as a character we didn't know was involved). However, there are a few WTF moments that I needed recovery time on.
I really enjoyed my time with this and would love to read more Dan Simmons. This had so much atmosphere that it put me in the mood for more reads in this same genre combination and for fall (even though this takes place in summer, the creepy portions feel very autumn like and would be a great read in that season as well).
I'd probably put this somewhere between a 4.25 and 4.5 so rounding to 4 Stars.
I loved this book. I read it as a teen and it was a perfect coming of age story. It reminds me very much of The Body by Stephen King and Boy's Life by Robert McCammon.
Great book.
Great book.