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oceanwriter's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-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? It's complicated
3.5
This series has caught my eye for a while, especially when the movie came out. I’ve been hesitant to pick it up because I’m not typically one for the horror genre. I joined a buddy read which gave me the push I needed to read it.
Jacob grew up listening to his grandfather’s stories of the peculiar children he knew growing up. As he got older, he discredited his tales as fiction. Never could he have imagined one of those stories coming to fruition and taking his grandfather’s life. No one believes his own story now, thinking him traumatized and mentally unwell.
Jacob believes the answer to his nightmares lies in his grandfather’s stories. He convinces his parents to allow him to take a trip to England where his grandfather lived during World War II. There, he ends up finding the portal into the past.
I was surprised by how absorbed I got into the book. Yet, whenever I put it down, I didn’t find myself thinking about it. My interest was mostly in the beginning, however. By the end, I was weirded out by the relationship between Jacob and Emma’s relationship. While I could anticipate the book ending on a cliffhanger given there are other books that follow, I was a little annoyed as I don’t feel invested enough to jump immediately into book two.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Blood, and Death
Moderate: Gun violence, War, and Antisemitism
Minor: Ableism, Mental illness, and Child death
gentle_garbage_baby's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
It was fine - didn't enthral me or anything. The photographs were a nice addition though. Also Jacob getting with Emma? Super weird considering she legit dated his grandad.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Mental illness, Body horror, and Violence
Minor: Blood, Gun violence, and War
rhgrimes's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
hopeful
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: War, Violence, and Death
hilarylouise's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Minor: War and Bullying
flying_booke's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Gore, and Death
Moderate: Dementia, War, and Violence
fieldsandfeels's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
inspiring
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
I know this one was super popular a while back, but it really took me by surprise how invested I became in these children. I expected much darker, but instead they are a lovely little found family with a lot of heart and incredible capability. I’m such a sucker for a found family. I will continue to follow this little family on their adventures for sure!
Content Warnings
Minor: Xenophobia, Child death, War, Murder, and Gun violence
jcrawford31's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-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? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, War, Murder, and Abandonment
chdeaver's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
relaxing
sad
tense
medium-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? It's complicated
4.5
I liked this book a lot. I love how it intertwines history and magic, past and present, family love and trauma, friendship and love, lies and truth, secrets and discoveries. The climax is satisfying and kept me feeling tense and on my toes, and the everything isn't wrapped up in a tidy bow at the end. It left me wanting more.
It did a great job of helping me feel the feelings the protagonist felt, and those feelings were complicated and his decisions were not easy. Overall, I very much enjoyed it.
There are hints of deep prose here and there in the book and honestly, I wouldn't have minded it having a little more to help the book feel more powerful.
It did a great job of helping me feel the feelings the protagonist felt, and those feelings were complicated and his decisions were not easy. Overall, I very much enjoyed it.
There are hints of deep prose here and there in the book and honestly, I wouldn't have minded it having a little more to help the book feel more powerful.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Mental illness, War, Gun violence, Violence, Death, and Antisemitism
Minor: Suicide, Abandonment, and Forced institutionalization
edmund_pearce's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Dementia, Animal death, and Mental illness
Moderate: Genocide and War
moody_gobling's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
One last read for 2023. I found this book easily digestible, light on horror, big on magical realism. I’m glad I was able to read this book, as it seemed to have been quite popular at its release, but nothing jumped out at me as “remarkable”. The reveal of the main big bad at the end was nice, if not subdued. The MC is just shy of having “chosen one” syndrome. The characters had a charm to them that I think TJ Clune has done better in later works. If you are a fan of lost-boys, time travel, WW2 and teenage boys not feeling heard, this one is for you.
Content Warnings
Minor: Blood, Animal death, Death, Mental illness, Stalking, and War