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ambeesbookishpages's review against another edition
2.0
The full review + more can be found at The Book Bratz
This book screwed with my head big time. It has been three days since I finished it and I am still not sure what to say. It definitely wasn't what I expected it to be. I really love things like hidden locations and archaeological digs and the mystery that surrounds those situations. Like, the Romonav family in Russia in 1918. I love those things. So, I wasn't expecting the fantasy aspect.
Anouk is bitter, mean and all around a horrible person to be around. I wasn't able to form a connect with her through out the entirety of the book. Anouk doesn't have a great family life, so when she receives a letter in the mail for this historical dig she jumps at the opportunity to leave home. From the moment she met the other teens she would be working with (Will, Lilly, Jules, and Hayden) she finds something to hate about each of them. Though I didn't like Anouk, she did warm up towards her small group of friends at the end of the novel.
Most time characterization is everything to me. If I don't like the main character I won't finish the book (most time.) But the plot was intriguing and a page turner, so continued on. Reading this in the dead of night wasn't the brightest idea. I frighten easily and there were several scenes in A Drop of Night that sent chills down my spine.
I can't talk much about this book with out ruining it. It runs big on the mystery. Overall I did like A Drop of Night enough to continue on with it. But, if I had a choice to read this book again I wouldn't.
This book screwed with my head big time. It has been three days since I finished it and I am still not sure what to say. It definitely wasn't what I expected it to be. I really love things like hidden locations and archaeological digs and the mystery that surrounds those situations. Like, the Romonav family in Russia in 1918. I love those things. So, I wasn't expecting the fantasy aspect.
Anouk is bitter, mean and all around a horrible person to be around. I wasn't able to form a connect with her through out the entirety of the book. Anouk doesn't have a great family life, so when she receives a letter in the mail for this historical dig she jumps at the opportunity to leave home. From the moment she met the other teens she would be working with (Will, Lilly, Jules, and Hayden) she finds something to hate about each of them. Though I didn't like Anouk, she did warm up towards her small group of friends at the end of the novel.
Most time characterization is everything to me. If I don't like the main character I won't finish the book (most time.) But the plot was intriguing and a page turner, so continued on. Reading this in the dead of night wasn't the brightest idea. I frighten easily and there were several scenes in A Drop of Night that sent chills down my spine.
I can't talk much about this book with out ruining it. It runs big on the mystery. Overall I did like A Drop of Night enough to continue on with it. But, if I had a choice to read this book again I wouldn't.
tesslinnebank's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
mehsi's review against another edition
4.0
3.5 stars. What did I just read?
Sure, the blurb is pretty much spot on with what is happening in this book, however it was still a big brainscrew and wth is going on. There was just so much going on, and it felt like a conspiracy's fan's wet dream. If you thought one thing happened, then POOF another thing would happen, and then POOF another thing. And then magically it would all connect into one big thing. And then that ending (which I saw coming from the earlier chapters). Though the ending.... Urgh!
The book also switches between the now (with our teens) and the past (with Aurelie and her family and the threat and how stuff started). I have to say that out of the two times I preferred the past part. Mostly because Aurelie wasn't that annoying, instead she was brave, strong, and I was really interested in reading her story.
Because yes, sorry, but Anouk (and I read/pronounced it the way we Dutch people do it, not Ahhhhhhhhhh NUKE, but Ah/Aa nook, I am really not sure where the author got the AHHHHHHH NUKE from), was an annoying, meh, horrible girl who frustrated me to no end. She kept whining, crying and doing stupid things.
But yes, I kept reading the book even though Anouk was frustrating and I hated her cold attitude of just hating on everything and anything.
We later find out why Anouk is like this, but I just couldn't find any sympathy by the time we got to that point (near the end).
I liked the other girl in this book (sorry, I forgot your name even though you were so sweet, awesome and kick-ass). I wouldn't have minded if the POV was totally from her. It would have made the book slightly better.
The 3 other guys. Urgh, just urgh. :|
The ending just frustrated me a bit. I can't really go into details, because that would go into spoiler territory but I felt it was done a bit too easy. I also didn't like that it just ended with how it ended. I wouldn't have minded an extra chapter.
And yes, I still loved the book, even though it was a big mash-up of everything, and at times it was just highly silly. That no one ever noticed. That no one ever raised an alarm.
The monsters in this book are creepy and gave me goosebumps all over.
All in all, it was a pretty so-so book, but I had hoped for more.
Review first posted at http://twirlingbookprincess.com/
Sure, the blurb is pretty much spot on with what is happening in this book, however it was still a big brainscrew and wth is going on. There was just so much going on, and it felt like a conspiracy's fan's wet dream. If you thought one thing happened, then POOF another thing would happen, and then POOF another thing. And then magically it would all connect into one big thing. And then that ending (which I saw coming from the earlier chapters). Though the ending.... Urgh!
The book also switches between the now (with our teens) and the past (with Aurelie and her family and the threat and how stuff started). I have to say that out of the two times I preferred the past part. Mostly because Aurelie wasn't that annoying, instead she was brave, strong, and I was really interested in reading her story.
Because yes, sorry, but Anouk (and I read/pronounced it the way we Dutch people do it, not Ahhhhhhhhhh NUKE, but Ah/Aa nook, I am really not sure where the author got the AHHHHHHH NUKE from), was an annoying, meh, horrible girl who frustrated me to no end. She kept whining, crying and doing stupid things.
But yes, I kept reading the book even though Anouk was frustrating and I hated her cold attitude of just hating on everything and anything.
We later find out why Anouk is like this, but I just couldn't find any sympathy by the time we got to that point (near the end).
I liked the other girl in this book (sorry, I forgot your name even though you were so sweet, awesome and kick-ass). I wouldn't have minded if the POV was totally from her. It would have made the book slightly better.
The 3 other guys. Urgh, just urgh. :|
The ending just frustrated me a bit. I can't really go into details, because that would go into spoiler territory but I felt it was done a bit too easy. I also didn't like that it just ended with how it ended. I wouldn't have minded an extra chapter.
And yes, I still loved the book, even though it was a big mash-up of everything, and at times it was just highly silly. That no one ever noticed. That no one ever raised an alarm.
The monsters in this book are creepy and gave me goosebumps all over.
All in all, it was a pretty so-so book, but I had hoped for more.
Review first posted at http://twirlingbookprincess.com/
heathersnerdyworld's review against another edition
5.0
"I don't want any more revelations and I don't want to know who these people are, because every time we get another inkling, they get more nightmarishly awful".
5 teenagers are selected, by a very rich and powerful family, to visit the excavation site of a secret 18th-century palace, hidden beneath a glamorous estate in France. The question is why them? And why teenagers?
It's the beginning of the French Revolution and one teenage girl doesn't understand why her mother is so terrified of the underground palace. Surely her father wouldn't create a palace of terrors beneath their home.
This book is a hidden gem and had my on the edge of my seat from start to finish. A page-turner with heart pounding thrills and chills. It's a perfect balance of creepy and mysterious that kept me coming back for more.
This book was a last minute cover buy and I was surprised by the amazing story inside. I can highly recommend this book and encourage anyone interested to pick it up.
4.5 out of 5 stars.
5 teenagers are selected, by a very rich and powerful family, to visit the excavation site of a secret 18th-century palace, hidden beneath a glamorous estate in France. The question is why them? And why teenagers?
It's the beginning of the French Revolution and one teenage girl doesn't understand why her mother is so terrified of the underground palace. Surely her father wouldn't create a palace of terrors beneath their home.
This book is a hidden gem and had my on the edge of my seat from start to finish. A page-turner with heart pounding thrills and chills. It's a perfect balance of creepy and mysterious that kept me coming back for more.
This book was a last minute cover buy and I was surprised by the amazing story inside. I can highly recommend this book and encourage anyone interested to pick it up.
4.5 out of 5 stars.
jarichan's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
birgits_bookshelf's review against another edition
1.0
Das Cover ist wunderschön und der Klappentext weckt die Neugier der Leser:innen, doch leider hält der Inhalt nicht, was der Umschlag verspricht.
Im Buch begegnen wir Anouk, eine der unsympathischsten Protagonistinnen, die ich je kennenlernen durfte und die schon nach gefühlten zehn Seiten so sehr nervt, dass sie die Leser:innen einfach nur einen Perspektivenwechsel hersehnen. Dieses gibt es auch, ins Frankreich der französischen Revolution - was aber anfangs interessant und aufschlussreich klingt, ist aber genau so träge wie die Handlung in der Gegenwart. Noch dazu kommt, dass die Handlungsstränge nicht zu unterscheiden sind, denn die Protagonistinnen bekommen keine eigene Stimme. Der Erzählstil ändern sich kein bisschen, obwohl zwischen den beiden Handlungen und Erzählerinnen 200 Jahre liegen. Aber der Autor gibt Anouk natürlich eine tragische Hintergrundgeschichte, sodass die Leser:innen, die sie nicht mögen, die bösen sind und nicht sie einfach ein Mensch, den man nicht leiden kann.
Leider kann nicht einmal die Handlung dieses Buch retten, denn diese ist überzogen und viel zu vollgestopft mit verschiedensten Ideen. Es kommt einem beim Lesen so vor, als würde das Buch einen ankotzen mit der Handlung, viel zu viele irrsinnige Ideen auf zu wenig Seiten abartig miteinander vermischt - Hauptsache dieses eine Labor sieht nicht aus wie ein Frankenstein-Labor, das Buchs scheint aber in einem gemacht worden zu sein, ohne, dass dieser Klassiker der Science-Fiction auf dieses Buch abgefärbt hat.
Dazu kommen noch Formulierungen, die beim besten Willen nicht hineinpassen, oder jemals von Menschen verwendet werden würden. Es scheint, als ob der Autor versucht hat, cool und hip zu wirken, ohne eine Ahnung von Jugendsprache zu haben. Von den vielen logischen Ungereimtheiten möchte ich gar nicht erst anfangen!
Ich habe schon früh bemerkt, dass sich das Buch in eine andere Richtung entwickelt, als ich es erwartet hat und ich habe versucht mich darauf einzulassen, aber leider habe ich mich in einem schlecht geschriebenen Alptraum gefangen gefunden.
Im Buch begegnen wir Anouk, eine der unsympathischsten Protagonistinnen, die ich je kennenlernen durfte und die schon nach gefühlten zehn Seiten so sehr nervt, dass sie die Leser:innen einfach nur einen Perspektivenwechsel hersehnen. Dieses gibt es auch, ins Frankreich der französischen Revolution - was aber anfangs interessant und aufschlussreich klingt, ist aber genau so träge wie die Handlung in der Gegenwart. Noch dazu kommt, dass die Handlungsstränge nicht zu unterscheiden sind, denn die Protagonistinnen bekommen keine eigene Stimme. Der Erzählstil ändern sich kein bisschen, obwohl zwischen den beiden Handlungen und Erzählerinnen 200 Jahre liegen. Aber der Autor gibt Anouk natürlich eine tragische Hintergrundgeschichte, sodass die Leser:innen, die sie nicht mögen, die bösen sind und nicht sie einfach ein Mensch, den man nicht leiden kann.
Leider kann nicht einmal die Handlung dieses Buch retten, denn diese ist überzogen und viel zu vollgestopft mit verschiedensten Ideen. Es kommt einem beim Lesen so vor, als würde das Buch einen ankotzen mit der Handlung, viel zu viele irrsinnige Ideen auf zu wenig Seiten abartig miteinander vermischt - Hauptsache dieses eine Labor sieht nicht aus wie ein Frankenstein-Labor, das Buchs scheint aber in einem gemacht worden zu sein, ohne, dass dieser Klassiker der Science-Fiction auf dieses Buch abgefärbt hat.
Dazu kommen noch Formulierungen, die beim besten Willen nicht hineinpassen, oder jemals von Menschen verwendet werden würden. Es scheint, als ob der Autor versucht hat, cool und hip zu wirken, ohne eine Ahnung von Jugendsprache zu haben. Von den vielen logischen Ungereimtheiten möchte ich gar nicht erst anfangen!
Ich habe schon früh bemerkt, dass sich das Buch in eine andere Richtung entwickelt, als ich es erwartet hat und ich habe versucht mich darauf einzulassen, aber leider habe ich mich in einem schlecht geschriebenen Alptraum gefangen gefunden.
jf_writes's review against another edition
5.0
Fans of Robison Well's Variant duology, Jessica Khoury's Origin, and Neal Shusterman's works should really consider reading "A Drop of Night". It deserves five solid stars, if not fifty! The layered mystery and world building, the incredibly incorporated thrills and action scenes, and the speculative sifi/fantasy elements make the story entirely riveting as I found it difficult, in many sections of the book, to pry my eyes from the pages. Although I am totally amazed at the authors skills, both in his characterization, world building, and slow reveal to the shocking, shiver-inducing mystery yet keeping readers engaged, I am relieved there's no sequel. Why you ask? Because first off I don't think I could wait long at all for a sequel or companion novel and also, this type of book stands better alone. Once you read it, you'll understand why I think that.
Nowadays I'm not too into reading MG literature, though I might at some point just pick up Bachmann's "The Peculiar's" because I seriously loved his writing style and pretty much everything about "A Drop of Night".
I am most impressed by his ability to tell a captivating tale which can read quite slow at times yet through the mystery elements, Bachmann makes readers compelled to read on to discover the dark, underlying revelations. Read this book if you think you'd love a contemporary mystery-thriller mixed with French Revolution history and sinister twists and turns that leave your jaw dropping and your heartbeat in your throat!
Nowadays I'm not too into reading MG literature, though I might at some point just pick up Bachmann's "The Peculiar's" because I seriously loved his writing style and pretty much everything about "A Drop of Night".
I am most impressed by his ability to tell a captivating tale which can read quite slow at times yet through the mystery elements, Bachmann makes readers compelled to read on to discover the dark, underlying revelations. Read this book if you think you'd love a contemporary mystery-thriller mixed with French Revolution history and sinister twists and turns that leave your jaw dropping and your heartbeat in your throat!
bkassel_'s review against another edition
4.0
I have to say, i was surprised by this book. I saw reviews & saying some okay things about it but i was genuinely surprised. It was fairly good. It had the thrill i wanted, the mystery/suspense, & a bit of horror. It was really interesting reading about their journey & trying to get home. It was super good. The ending did happen a little quickly, but it was still good & interesting. Overall it was like a 3.75/4. Very quick & fun read I recommend!
laughlinesandliterature's review against another edition
3.0
*I received this book from Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review*
A Drop of Night was messed up, it definitely had a feeling of creepiness and eeriness. I can see where the comparisons for Cabin in the Woods come from, because Anouk is clever, funny, and sarcastic. I really enjoyed this book, and it felt like I was holding my breath for most of it.
The book is split between two viewpoints, Aurelie and Anouk. Aurelie’s story is set in 1780 and revolves around her family, and the house her father is building. They are on the run from the Resistance, and flee into the underground house. Thus begins a series of events that are creepy and terrifying.
Bachman does a fabulous job of building the setting here. I could visualize clearly the underground house, and its many rooms cast in an eerie blue-green light from being so far below the earth. Just thinking about some of these rooms gives me the heebie-jeebies all over again. I think that the writing could have been a little stronger in side character development. The other characters felt pretty flat and one dimensional, and served mostly to prop up Anouk in her attempts to leave the house. Overall I would give this a 3.5 out of 5 stars for the creativity that it displayed. Perfect for fans of thrillers and horror novels.
*This review was first posted on Moonlight Gleam reviews http://moonlightgleam.com/2017/01/a-drop-of-night-by-stefan-bachman.html*
A Drop of Night was messed up, it definitely had a feeling of creepiness and eeriness. I can see where the comparisons for Cabin in the Woods come from, because Anouk is clever, funny, and sarcastic. I really enjoyed this book, and it felt like I was holding my breath for most of it.
The book is split between two viewpoints, Aurelie and Anouk. Aurelie’s story is set in 1780 and revolves around her family, and the house her father is building. They are on the run from the Resistance, and flee into the underground house. Thus begins a series of events that are creepy and terrifying.
Bachman does a fabulous job of building the setting here. I could visualize clearly the underground house, and its many rooms cast in an eerie blue-green light from being so far below the earth. Just thinking about some of these rooms gives me the heebie-jeebies all over again. I think that the writing could have been a little stronger in side character development. The other characters felt pretty flat and one dimensional, and served mostly to prop up Anouk in her attempts to leave the house. Overall I would give this a 3.5 out of 5 stars for the creativity that it displayed. Perfect for fans of thrillers and horror novels.
*This review was first posted on Moonlight Gleam reviews http://moonlightgleam.com/2017/01/a-drop-of-night-by-stefan-bachman.html*