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cosmicrusalka's review against another edition
1.0
Noooot a fan. It took WAY to long to get interesting and I didn't care for ANY of the characters. They all seemed very basic and lacked depth. I felt like the story itself was very dry and rather cliche...I just wasn't a fan at all.
katie_esh's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 stars
I didn't actually mind the fact for the first half of the book nothing really happened solely because I enjoyed Jane and Jack's characters. However, when the main plot element was revealed, I began to dislike it. I predicted the ending about 50 pages ahead of time. I think I'm giving it this rating just because the discovery Jane made really threw me for a loop and I just couldn't grasp the concept of it.i
I didn't actually mind the fact for the first half of the book nothing really happened solely because I enjoyed Jane and Jack's characters. However, when the main plot element was revealed, I began to dislike it. I predicted the ending about 50 pages ahead of time. I think I'm giving it this rating just because the discovery Jane made really threw me for a loop and I just couldn't grasp the concept of it.i
fishgirl182's review against another edition
2.0
Dark Companion starts off with a bang. A young girl battles for her life while a storm rages. Blood flows and she knows that she will die. A spirit takes her high into the trees, where she is safe and warm. When Jane Williams wakes up, she has no memory of the terrible events of that night, or her life before the accident.
Sounds good, right? Unfortunately, the first few pages of Dark Companion are probably the most compelling and I really struggled to finish it. I was never really able to connect with any of the characters and they didn’t feel real to me. The pace of the book was also really slow. Halfway through the book and still felt like I was waiting for something dark, scary, or even interesting to happen. There were definitely hints throughout the book that all was not right in Birch Grove. But Jane wasn’t putting the pieces together quickly enough. By the time she finds out what the Big Secret is, it’s very anticlimactic.
I also had issues with Jane and her friends. I read a lot of YA novels and, while I am no longer a teen, I feel like I have a decent grasp of what teens sound like. But Jane and her friends do not sound like any teens I know or have ever heard. They’d spout utter nonsense and slang one second and then top it off with a Latin phrase the next. And why did everyone and everything have a nickname? MV, JM, Wilde Thang, Ms. McSqueak, etc. etc. I actually got confused a couple of times because of all the nicknames. Perhaps I am not around teens enough but the dialogue seemed really forced and it took me out of the story.
The biggest disappointment for me was Jane herself. She starts off as a cynical, sarcastic, street smart young woman who has studied hard and earned herself an education at a prestigious school. And though she’s a fish out of water at Birch Grove at first, she remains true to herself and makes some good friends along the way. But then the inevitable happens and she falls for Hot Guy. In this case, the impossibly gorgeous and unattainable Hot Guy is Lucky Radcliffe, the town’s golden boy. And like most golden boys he’s smart, charming, and gets whatever he wants. The second that Lucky shows any interest in her, smart, strong Jane disappears and a Jane I don’t recognize takes her place. She ditches her friends and stays at home so that she can be available for him at all times. He proceeds to treat her like crap in public, while telling her how much he trusts and needs her and asks her to agree to a “secret relationship.” It’s never a good sign when a guy doesn’t want to be seen in public with you.
And what’s so great about Lucky? Truly I do not know. I could have understood Jane’s attraction more if he really cared about her or had some kind of redeeming personality traits, but I really did not see what Jane saw in him besides his good looks. He was clearly using her and she was so starved for love that she compromised herself to obtain it. I could kind of understand Jane’s desire for love and a family since she is an orphan, but it seemed very out of character for her to change so much and I started to lose a lot of respect for her.
As you can see, this book just wasn’t for me. It’s clear that Acosta has some writing chops and I did like certain parts of it. She has a knack for creating an atmospheric setting and the birch forest in particular had a real personality. I liked Mary Violet even though she was ridiculous and I didn’t understand half of what she was saying. However, she was sweet, and I enjoyed her rabid enthusiasm. I also thought that Acosta’s premise for the blood play was a really unique take on the vampire myth as genetic disorder. While the whole hierarchy and the traditions of the Family didn’t make sense to me (why do only men get Companions?), the scientific angle was original, and I wish we could have explored it more.
While I enjoyed certain parts of Dark Companion, they could not save the book for me. The various elements never quite came together and the book fell short.
*I received this book free of charge from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This, in no way, affected my opinion or review of this book.
Sounds good, right? Unfortunately, the first few pages of Dark Companion are probably the most compelling and I really struggled to finish it. I was never really able to connect with any of the characters and they didn’t feel real to me. The pace of the book was also really slow. Halfway through the book and still felt like I was waiting for something dark, scary, or even interesting to happen. There were definitely hints throughout the book that all was not right in Birch Grove. But Jane wasn’t putting the pieces together quickly enough. By the time she finds out what the Big Secret is, it’s very anticlimactic.
I also had issues with Jane and her friends. I read a lot of YA novels and, while I am no longer a teen, I feel like I have a decent grasp of what teens sound like. But Jane and her friends do not sound like any teens I know or have ever heard. They’d spout utter nonsense and slang one second and then top it off with a Latin phrase the next. And why did everyone and everything have a nickname? MV, JM, Wilde Thang, Ms. McSqueak, etc. etc. I actually got confused a couple of times because of all the nicknames. Perhaps I am not around teens enough but the dialogue seemed really forced and it took me out of the story.
The biggest disappointment for me was Jane herself. She starts off as a cynical, sarcastic, street smart young woman who has studied hard and earned herself an education at a prestigious school. And though she’s a fish out of water at Birch Grove at first, she remains true to herself and makes some good friends along the way. But then the inevitable happens and she falls for Hot Guy. In this case, the impossibly gorgeous and unattainable Hot Guy is Lucky Radcliffe, the town’s golden boy. And like most golden boys he’s smart, charming, and gets whatever he wants. The second that Lucky shows any interest in her, smart, strong Jane disappears and a Jane I don’t recognize takes her place. She ditches her friends and stays at home so that she can be available for him at all times. He proceeds to treat her like crap in public, while telling her how much he trusts and needs her and asks her to agree to a “secret relationship.” It’s never a good sign when a guy doesn’t want to be seen in public with you.
And what’s so great about Lucky? Truly I do not know. I could have understood Jane’s attraction more if he really cared about her or had some kind of redeeming personality traits, but I really did not see what Jane saw in him besides his good looks. He was clearly using her and she was so starved for love that she compromised herself to obtain it. I could kind of understand Jane’s desire for love and a family since she is an orphan, but it seemed very out of character for her to change so much and I started to lose a lot of respect for her.
As you can see, this book just wasn’t for me. It’s clear that Acosta has some writing chops and I did like certain parts of it. She has a knack for creating an atmospheric setting and the birch forest in particular had a real personality. I liked Mary Violet even though she was ridiculous and I didn’t understand half of what she was saying. However, she was sweet, and I enjoyed her rabid enthusiasm. I also thought that Acosta’s premise for the blood play was a really unique take on the vampire myth as genetic disorder. While the whole hierarchy and the traditions of the Family didn’t make sense to me (why do only men get Companions?), the scientific angle was original, and I wish we could have explored it more.
While I enjoyed certain parts of Dark Companion, they could not save the book for me. The various elements never quite came together and the book fell short.
*I received this book free of charge from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This, in no way, affected my opinion or review of this book.
postitsandpens's review against another edition
4.0
3.5/5 stars.
When I started reading this book, I didn't really know what to expect. Honestly this is one case where the summary doesn't really tell you a whole lot about what's going on, so I basically went into this with no expectations. Dark Companion takes quite a bit of time to set up the plot. Jane is a newly emancipated minor whose been accepted into a prestigious all girls school, which allows her to escape her terrible foster home and her town of Hellsdale (actually Helmsdale). Much of the first half of the book revolves around Jane doing normal everyday things like shopping, studying, attending classes, etc. For some people, it could get tedious, but I didn't mind it so much because I was using the time to get to know Jane, who was a bit difficult for me to understand initially mostly because she and I are very very different. Throw in her crush on the headmistress' gorgeous son, Lucky, and her strange antagonistic relationship with Lucky's brother, Jack, and you've basically got the first 50% or so of the book.
But then things start to pick up, and you finally get the "sinister" aspect of the summary. I don't want to spoil anyone because I honestly think it's better if you go into this not knowing what you're going to get, but I have to say that I sort of saw SOME of what is revealed early on, although expecting something paranormal made me guess a bit incorrectly. Let's just say that it was a fairly unique twist, and I was pleased to see something different. The latter half of the book moves along much more quickly, although I had to put it aside a couple of times because of one major thing that just drove me absolutely crazy.
And that thing was, unfortunately, our main narrator, Jane. Jane is totally blind when it comes to Lucky, and she says these things about her feelings for him that made me want to reach through the screen of my Kindle and shake her. Things like, "I was replaceable for now. If I could prove myself to [Lucky] until his feelings for me grew, the equation would change," like she had some ability to change his feelings for her. Lucky is a jerk - I didn't really like him from the start - and it irritates me that she thinks she loves him mostly because he's good looking. Then there was, "On Monday, I raced home from class so I would be there if Lucky called or came by,", which UGH! I get that Jane hasn't had love in her life, and probably doesn't realize what it actually is or how others should act around you if they care about you, but her dependence on Lucky's attention just really made me angry. Thankfully she finally figures it out - 77% through the book - but WOW is that 77% a struggle for the reader, who sees exactly what mistakes she's making and is just along for the ride.
Now, let me talk about the things I loved. Jane becomes friends with these absolutely spectacular girls, Hattie, Mary Violet (MV), and Constance, and I adored every single second they were on the page. MV is my personal favorite because she is absolutely bubbly and cheerful and just fabulous (she makes up poems! And makes Jane smile and laugh!), but I loved the interactions between them and Jane so much that they really saved that slog through the first 77%. I also really loved Jack, who had such a quick wit. He confuses Jane because he doesn't actually come out and say what he means, which is irritating in person but actually works really well on the page of a book. He calls Jane "Halfling" because he thinks she's some sort of fairy creature, and there is just a whole lot of tenderness in his interactions with her that she's too blind to see. I adored Jack; next to MV, he was definitely my favorite. Here's my favorite Jack line: "'H is for happy and for hope, and...' Jack thought for a moment. 'And for honey, which is both an endearment and nice with peanut butter in a sandwich.'" ♥
All in all, Dark Companion was an interesting read. If you can get over main characters making boneheaded mistakes and strange leaps in logic - particularly when it comes to love - and are willing to give some time for the plot to develop, then you might just enjoy this book. It wasn't the best thing I've ever read, but there was enough in the book to keep my interest and keep me reading. If you're wanting something that's not-quite-paranormal, give this one a read. But check your expectations at the door; I really think it's best to go into this one without any preconceived notions or ideas about what's going to happen.
Dark Companion will be available in North America on July 3, 2012.
An e-galley was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
When I started reading this book, I didn't really know what to expect. Honestly this is one case where the summary doesn't really tell you a whole lot about what's going on, so I basically went into this with no expectations. Dark Companion takes quite a bit of time to set up the plot. Jane is a newly emancipated minor whose been accepted into a prestigious all girls school, which allows her to escape her terrible foster home and her town of Hellsdale (actually Helmsdale). Much of the first half of the book revolves around Jane doing normal everyday things like shopping, studying, attending classes, etc. For some people, it could get tedious, but I didn't mind it so much because I was using the time to get to know Jane, who was a bit difficult for me to understand initially mostly because she and I are very very different. Throw in her crush on the headmistress' gorgeous son, Lucky, and her strange antagonistic relationship with Lucky's brother, Jack, and you've basically got the first 50% or so of the book.
But then things start to pick up, and you finally get the "sinister" aspect of the summary. I don't want to spoil anyone because I honestly think it's better if you go into this not knowing what you're going to get, but I have to say that I sort of saw SOME of what is revealed early on, although expecting something paranormal made me guess a bit incorrectly. Let's just say that it was a fairly unique twist, and I was pleased to see something different. The latter half of the book moves along much more quickly, although I had to put it aside a couple of times because of one major thing that just drove me absolutely crazy.
And that thing was, unfortunately, our main narrator, Jane. Jane is totally blind when it comes to Lucky, and she says these things about her feelings for him that made me want to reach through the screen of my Kindle and shake her. Things like, "I was replaceable for now. If I could prove myself to [Lucky] until his feelings for me grew, the equation would change," like she had some ability to change his feelings for her. Lucky is a jerk - I didn't really like him from the start - and it irritates me that she thinks she loves him mostly because he's good looking. Then there was, "On Monday, I raced home from class so I would be there if Lucky called or came by,", which UGH! I get that Jane hasn't had love in her life, and probably doesn't realize what it actually is or how others should act around you if they care about you, but her dependence on Lucky's attention just really made me angry. Thankfully she finally figures it out - 77% through the book - but WOW is that 77% a struggle for the reader, who sees exactly what mistakes she's making and is just along for the ride.
Now, let me talk about the things I loved. Jane becomes friends with these absolutely spectacular girls, Hattie, Mary Violet (MV), and Constance, and I adored every single second they were on the page. MV is my personal favorite because she is absolutely bubbly and cheerful and just fabulous (she makes up poems! And makes Jane smile and laugh!), but I loved the interactions between them and Jane so much that they really saved that slog through the first 77%. I also really loved Jack, who had such a quick wit. He confuses Jane because he doesn't actually come out and say what he means, which is irritating in person but actually works really well on the page of a book. He calls Jane "Halfling" because he thinks she's some sort of fairy creature, and there is just a whole lot of tenderness in his interactions with her that she's too blind to see. I adored Jack; next to MV, he was definitely my favorite. Here's my favorite Jack line: "'H is for happy and for hope, and...' Jack thought for a moment. 'And for honey, which is both an endearment and nice with peanut butter in a sandwich.'" ♥
All in all, Dark Companion was an interesting read. If you can get over main characters making boneheaded mistakes and strange leaps in logic - particularly when it comes to love - and are willing to give some time for the plot to develop, then you might just enjoy this book. It wasn't the best thing I've ever read, but there was enough in the book to keep my interest and keep me reading. If you're wanting something that's not-quite-paranormal, give this one a read. But check your expectations at the door; I really think it's best to go into this one without any preconceived notions or ideas about what's going to happen.
Dark Companion will be available in North America on July 3, 2012.
An e-galley was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
madymae's review against another edition
4.0
I really enjoyed this book. It was a light read that was quite cliche. I liked Jane's and Claire's backstories and Jane's overall journey through the book about finding and accepting herself, love and happiness, I was also mervous that this book was going to be about vampires and I was happy that Maria Acosta twisted the typical stereotypes of vampires and made a different story. I'm glad that Jane makes her own choices and that she doesn't end up witb Lucky. The only thing is I was hoping for slightly more creepy and eery scenes throughout. Overall, it was a very satisfying read that has been lingering on my shelf for two years.
bookishvice's review against another edition
3.0
Jane William's life hasn't been the easiest one. Her parents are dead, she's spent most of her life jumping from foster homes, ended up living in violent Helmsdale (aka Hellsdale), and the only best friend she had died. Jane wants out of there, and when they offer her a scholarship at the prestigious Birch Grove Academy for Girls, she takes it. But there's something weird about the town and the academy, and the people seem quite secretive. Jane decides to concentrate on the positive things, like gorgeous Lucian Radcliffe, and maybe even his annoying brother Jack. However, the secrets of Birch Grove are too great to be ignored, and Jane will have to make a choice between this new perfect life, and her old one because being part of the family is a lifelong commitment. Like it's title, Dark Companion is a dark and seductive story, that will shock and captivate you every step of the way.
I didn't know what to expect from Dark Companion. The story starts out slowly, but once school starts the story picks up the pace, and man what a pace! Marta Acosta's writing blew me away. The mystery of Birch Grove Academy and its girls is something that isn't revealed at once, and all the time the tension builds and builds. There's a certain creepiness factor to the school, and it would only take a detail here or a word there to achieve that. You're just reading placidly when BAM a single word would bowl you over, the creepiness going off the charts.
Jane is a mousy, plain girl, but she is smart, and cunning. She knows there's something going on at the school and she needs to find out what before something happens to her. She makes friends with three girls, Hattie, Mary Violet, and Constance. Mary Violet was my absolute favorite character of the whole book. In fact, so far, she's my favorite YA character this year. She's witty, a bit crazy, but simply fabulous. I totally agree with her dentist theory, her French makes me want to learn a third language, and her poems crack me up. Another character that made me fall in love with him was Jacob (Jack) Radcliffe. He's deliciously scruffy, plays guitar in a band, and says he's like "the king's fool." In literature the king's fool is the only one allowed to make fun of the king while still delivering harsh truths. In every conversation he has with Jane I kept wondering how much was the truth and how much was teasing. And he teases a lot!
My only frustration with this story was the romance, or at least one side of it. I have to discuss this, and I apologize for any spoilers. Jane falls head over heels for Lucian (Lucky) Radcliffe. I couldn't help but roll my eyes at the situation. I though, here we go again with the naïve, infatuated heroine, but what I found out was actually worse. Jane is a naïve infatuated girl and Lucian turns out to be a special kind of psychotic jerk, and I didn't care if it was a medical condition but the way he enjoyed it really turned my stomach. I know, I know. With no evil there can be no good, so I guess Jane's submissive portrayal and abuse at the hands of Lucky was necessary. But for me it never makes sense when a girl throws herself at some jerkface because they think no one will ever want them. We have a saying where I live, which roughly translates to "Better alone than in bad company." I wish most heroines had the sense to follow that motto. When Jane finally discovers the whole plot and reasons I thought she would put a stop to things, but she agrees to continue! Granted they've promised her everything and more if she stays with Lucky, but at what cost? I do love when she reaches that conclusion, though the change of mind was a bit abrupt.
As you can see from what I've discussed so far, Dark Companion has some strong themes. There are scenes with heavy petting and bloodletting, drug and alcohol abuse, and not much is held back. It's dark, it's gritty, but it's real. The end was a surprising mix of shocking discoveries, and happy endings. There was unfinished business in the subplots, which I can only hope means there will be a sequel because, my darlings, as much as I've ranted about some aspects of this novel I have to admit it rocked my world and I would very much like a sequel.
*I received this book via Netgalley from the publisher for my honest review*
I didn't know what to expect from Dark Companion. The story starts out slowly, but once school starts the story picks up the pace, and man what a pace! Marta Acosta's writing blew me away. The mystery of Birch Grove Academy and its girls is something that isn't revealed at once, and all the time the tension builds and builds. There's a certain creepiness factor to the school, and it would only take a detail here or a word there to achieve that. You're just reading placidly when BAM a single word would bowl you over, the creepiness going off the charts.
Jane is a mousy, plain girl, but she is smart, and cunning. She knows there's something going on at the school and she needs to find out what before something happens to her. She makes friends with three girls, Hattie, Mary Violet, and Constance. Mary Violet was my absolute favorite character of the whole book. In fact, so far, she's my favorite YA character this year. She's witty, a bit crazy, but simply fabulous. I totally agree with her dentist theory, her French makes me want to learn a third language, and her poems crack me up. Another character that made me fall in love with him was Jacob (Jack) Radcliffe. He's deliciously scruffy, plays guitar in a band, and says he's like "the king's fool." In literature the king's fool is the only one allowed to make fun of the king while still delivering harsh truths. In every conversation he has with Jane I kept wondering how much was the truth and how much was teasing. And he teases a lot!
My only frustration with this story was the romance, or at least one side of it. I have to discuss this, and I apologize for any spoilers. Jane falls head over heels for Lucian (Lucky) Radcliffe. I couldn't help but roll my eyes at the situation. I though, here we go again with the naïve, infatuated heroine, but what I found out was actually worse. Jane is a naïve infatuated girl and Lucian turns out to be a special kind of psychotic jerk, and I didn't care if it was a medical condition but the way he enjoyed it really turned my stomach. I know, I know. With no evil there can be no good, so I guess Jane's submissive portrayal and abuse at the hands of Lucky was necessary. But for me it never makes sense when a girl throws herself at some jerkface because they think no one will ever want them. We have a saying where I live, which roughly translates to "Better alone than in bad company." I wish most heroines had the sense to follow that motto. When Jane finally discovers the whole plot and reasons I thought she would put a stop to things, but she agrees to continue! Granted they've promised her everything and more if she stays with Lucky, but at what cost? I do love when she reaches that conclusion, though the change of mind was a bit abrupt.
As you can see from what I've discussed so far, Dark Companion has some strong themes. There are scenes with heavy petting and bloodletting, drug and alcohol abuse, and not much is held back. It's dark, it's gritty, but it's real. The end was a surprising mix of shocking discoveries, and happy endings. There was unfinished business in the subplots, which I can only hope means there will be a sequel because, my darlings, as much as I've ranted about some aspects of this novel I have to admit it rocked my world and I would very much like a sequel.
*I received this book via Netgalley from the publisher for my honest review*
bibliohannah's review against another edition
1.0
this is just a bad book overall for me. the subject matter and the things that happened made me uncomfortable and.. just no.
joyousreads132's review against another edition
1.0
I'm sorry. I can no longer continue. I've never understood how anyone can say a character is TSTL. Well, now I know. This book is FUCKED UP. WRONG. The subject matter is totally inappropriate considering it's being marketed as a young adult novel. What the hell?
The first half was so good. The dialogues left me awe-struck because I've never, ever read any teenagers converse so eloquently but flippant enough that you can tell their age. They made the inconsequential conversations turn into moments of enlightenments on this reader. The best characters being Mary Violet and Jack. Jane Williams had her moments too but OMG. Why? Why? That's all I can say.
This book was Jekyll and Hyde. I feel betrayed.
I can't say anything bad about the writing because like I said, there is a genuine intelligence that comes through within its pages.
Unfortunately, there are a lot of wrongs here that I can't stomach.
P.S.
I got till about 77% of the book until I called it quits.
The first half was so good. The dialogues left me awe-struck because I've never, ever read any teenagers converse so eloquently but flippant enough that you can tell their age. They made the inconsequential conversations turn into moments of enlightenments on this reader. The best characters being Mary Violet and Jack. Jane Williams had her moments too but OMG. Why? Why? That's all I can say.
This book was Jekyll and Hyde. I feel betrayed.
I can't say anything bad about the writing because like I said, there is a genuine intelligence that comes through within its pages.
Unfortunately, there are a lot of wrongs here that I can't stomach.
P.S.
I got till about 77% of the book until I called it quits.
sarakday's review against another edition
2.0
This one is all over the place. The combination of dark Gothic (and sometimes supernatural) elements doesn't really mesh with the main character's--cringe-- "hood" upbringing, and the dialogue is almost painfully wooden and awkward.