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3.4 AVERAGE
3.4 AVERAGE
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
dark
mysterious
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Ugh.
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
Bessie and her friends have a plan for a great party during spring break. They have access to a castle and want this to be the best party ever. When the first partier dies, though, this will not be a normal party. As more people lose their lives, this group of friends will learn secrets best kept hidden. Who is the killer? What are the secrets that will be revealed?
The Party is a stand-alone thriller that had so much promise, yet it fell flat. I loved the castle and the English surroundings, but the characters didn’t catch my attention and bring the story forward. It wasn’t a complete bust, and thankfully, it is a short read. It is a fun escape that should not be rushed to the top of your TBR list.
The Party is a stand-alone thriller that had so much promise, yet it fell flat. I loved the castle and the English surroundings, but the characters didn’t catch my attention and bring the story forward. It wasn’t a complete bust, and thankfully, it is a short read. It is a fun escape that should not be rushed to the top of your TBR list.
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
This is not a well-written book. I kept hoping that the mystery element would make up for it, but it ultimately wasn’t worth it to wade through the bad.
First off, the characters are poorly written and unlikable. Their personalities and ways of reacting to events change scene by scene based on what the author wants. One character might be described as smart and level-headed in one scene and then be hysterical and irrational in the next. Then someone else will go through the same cycle. No one has consistent characterization, and the narrator is just a blank nobody.
The plot is repetitive as well. Someone dies or goes missing, everyone panics and runs around the castle to find the victim or the killer. Then they all rendezvous and decide that they should just hunker down in the ballroom and wait until the storm lets up and they can reach help. Then everyone starts acting irrationally again, someone leaves the ballroom, everyone goes after them, cue the whole process repeating.
You can only read about people doing the same stupid thing repeatedly for so long before it makes you want to throw the book across the room. These characters are dumb, their logic is unsound, their behavior is inconsistent, their reactions don’t match the situations, and they probably deserve to get murdered.
First off, the characters are poorly written and unlikable. Their personalities and ways of reacting to events change scene by scene based on what the author wants. One character might be described as smart and level-headed in one scene and then be hysterical and irrational in the next. Then someone else will go through the same cycle. No one has consistent characterization, and the narrator is just a blank nobody.
The plot is repetitive as well. Someone dies or goes missing, everyone panics and runs around the castle to find the victim or the killer. Then they all rendezvous and decide that they should just hunker down in the ballroom and wait until the storm lets up and they can reach help. Then everyone starts acting irrationally again, someone leaves the ballroom, everyone goes after them, cue the whole process repeating.
You can only read about people doing the same stupid thing repeatedly for so long before it makes you want to throw the book across the room. These characters are dumb, their logic is unsound, their behavior is inconsistent, their reactions don’t match the situations, and they probably deserve to get murdered.
dark
mysterious
The Party is an unputdownable mix of suspense, secrets and survival. Bessie and her friends are heading to a real, empty English castle, moat and all, for the best spring break party ever. But as a storm cuts them off from the outside world, one of their group turns up dead, and they realise that all is not what it seems.
Natasha is one of the best authors around for creating tension and terror. The storm keeping the teens confined to their castle is an effective way of creating a locked room mystery, and the castle itself means that they never know where everyone is or if there’s anyone hiding somewhere they don’t know about. It’s an amazing situation and helps to drive home the feeling that maybe the danger is in Bessie’s friends, not in an outsider. As with several of these books, there are a lot of people to keep track off, but I quickly got to grips with who was who.
As the body count rises, the surviving teens have to reckon with long forgotten secrets to understand what’s threatening them now. This was the only part of the story that I didn’t like; Bessie and a couple of the others frequently make reference to the incident, but we don’t find out anything about it until we’re well into the story. It frustrated me as it was clearly important but we didn’t know what it was.
Twists come quickly and surprises are around every corner of the corridors of the castle. There are still new revelations coming even on the very last page, and I promise you won’t guess all of them! This is the kind of book you stay up late to read.
Recommendations:
Book: The Guest List by Lucy Foley is an excellent match for fans of The Party. It also features a remote location, a deadly gathering, and a storm that traps characters with secrets waiting to unravel.- Movie/TV Show: And Then There Were None (2015) is a fantastic choice. This BBC adaptation of Agatha Christie's classic novel follows a group of strangers invited to an island, only to realize they’re being targeted by an unseen killer. The atmospheric tension and layered mysteries are perfect for fans of The Party.
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated