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3.12 AVERAGE
3.12 AVERAGE
Every time I get asked for a book recommendation this is the book I always go to. I believe it to be so underrated. I have read it a couple of times and it always hooks me up to the last word.
Hated the characters, didn't find it believable, I could go on. But giving it a 2-star because I did keep reading, so that has to stand for something.
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Saw this at a bookshop and was automatically interested--dark academia at Oxford with psychological thrilling aspects...let's go. Sadly, half way through I was struggling to like anything about it.
The characters were extremely flat, one-dimensional, and I did not connect with any of them or any plane of literature or emotion. Most of the book takes places at college and there were so many scenes of Jolyn's room or the bar and where mostly all they did was talking. These scenes did not add any in-depth characterization or accelerating the plot. It was frustrating, "Oh great, they are in Jolly's room again. Oh look they are smoking and drinking...again." Also, the strong cursing and colorful words distracted from the story and didn't add anything to it. Cursing just for the sake of cursing in literature is a distraction and annoying.
The psychological aspect of it was boring and there are still questions I have about the game itself and I held out for end but nothing left me on the edge of my seat or sweating it out in anticipation for the next page. The ending was flat and I left the book feeling blah.
This only gets two stars because I loved the setting of Oxford University and the narrative was structed with nice creativity.
The characters were extremely flat, one-dimensional, and I did not connect with any of them or any plane of literature or emotion. Most of the book takes places at college and there were so many scenes of Jolyn's room or the bar and where mostly all they did was talking. These scenes did not add any in-depth characterization or accelerating the plot. It was frustrating, "Oh great, they are in Jolly's room again. Oh look they are smoking and drinking...again." Also, the strong cursing and colorful words distracted from the story and didn't add anything to it. Cursing just for the sake of cursing in literature is a distraction and annoying.
The psychological aspect of it was boring and there are still questions I have about the game itself and I held out for end but nothing left me on the edge of my seat or sweating it out in anticipation for the next page. The ending was flat and I left the book feeling blah.
This only gets two stars because I loved the setting of Oxford University and the narrative was structed with nice creativity.
Don't trust NPR.
I finished this book because I was curious to see how it ended, but honestly disliked it from page 30 onward. And, as others have mentioned sticking around for the end was not worth it. The writing was okay at minimum with distractingly bad moment when the author was obviously trying to be 'artsy' but fell flat. I hated all the characters except Emilia, and all turned out to be painfully one dimensional. As others have said the weird subplot of the 'Game Soc' was unneeded and added nothing but weird confusion and lacked a pay off.
I would also like to add, although we are told over and over again how close and of friends these people were, this never shone through once. Throughout the entire book only one or two characters actually seemed to stand being near each other, but once the game began all of them seemed to truly dislike all involved.
There are better mysteries out there. There are better executed books out there.
I finished this book because I was curious to see how it ended, but honestly disliked it from page 30 onward. And, as others have mentioned sticking around for the end was not worth it. The writing was okay at minimum with distractingly bad moment when the author was obviously trying to be 'artsy' but fell flat. I hated all the characters except Emilia, and all turned out to be painfully one dimensional. As others have said the weird subplot of the 'Game Soc' was unneeded and added nothing but weird confusion and lacked a pay off.
I would also like to add, although we are told over and over again how close and of friends these people were, this never shone through once. Throughout the entire book only one or two characters actually seemed to stand being near each other, but once the game began all of them seemed to truly dislike all involved.
There are better mysteries out there. There are better executed books out there.
I felt a tiny bit let down at the end -- it's hard to take a story with that kind of momentum and bring it to a really satisfying close. But I would certainly read Yates's next book in a heartbeat.
I really think this author has a knack for interesting and intriguing imagery. I struggled to connect sometimes to the characters, but enjoyed how the author played with their diction.
The concept behind Black Chalk grabbed me right from the get-go. The idea of an innocent game evolving into something more sinister and the effect that would have on its participants seemed both intriguing and tragically realistic. The ‘winner’ stands to walk away with a sizeable prize – not just the stakes of their fellow players, but a considerable sum added to the pot by the mysterious Game Society, provided the players promise to keep the Game and the Game Soc private.
And now, after living with the game hanging over their heads for fourteen years, the remaining players must meet up for their final round, and who knows better than your best friends what will break you? As the story develops, one is forced to wonder whether it’s possible to ‘win’ the Game. Perhaps the best that can be hoped for is to survive it.
The novel begins in the aftermath of the Game, and we can immediately see the devastating psychological effects on the narrator, who now lives a hermit's existance, trapped by a complicated web of OCD routines and guilt over the Game. The story of the formation of the friendship group and the birth of the game is told through flashbacks interspersed through present day scenes. I did find this slightly disorientating initially, as the current day is in the first person, whilst the flashbacks are in the third person, and it is not apparent for quite some time which player our narrator is. This turns out to be an intentional twist by the author, and as the novel progresses it works very well indeed.
Psychologically, this book is utterly incredible. Each of the 6 players has their own issues and Achilles heel before the Game even begins, and as the Game progresses we can see the differing effects of stress on each individual as they struggle to deal with the humiliating consequences and are lead deeper and deeper into the pitfalls of both pride and revenge.
Unbelievably, this is Christopher Yates’ debut novel. It is dark, disturbing and compelling, contains sneaky plot-twists and the characterisation is magnificent. In short, it’s ingenious.
Disclaimer: I was sent an ecopy of Black Chalk by NetGalley for the purposes of this review, but the opinions given are, as always, entirely my own.
And now, after living with the game hanging over their heads for fourteen years, the remaining players must meet up for their final round, and who knows better than your best friends what will break you? As the story develops, one is forced to wonder whether it’s possible to ‘win’ the Game. Perhaps the best that can be hoped for is to survive it.
The novel begins in the aftermath of the Game, and we can immediately see the devastating psychological effects on the narrator, who now lives a hermit's existance, trapped by a complicated web of OCD routines and guilt over the Game. The story of the formation of the friendship group and the birth of the game is told through flashbacks interspersed through present day scenes. I did find this slightly disorientating initially, as the current day is in the first person, whilst the flashbacks are in the third person, and it is not apparent for quite some time which player our narrator is. This turns out to be an intentional twist by the author, and as the novel progresses it works very well indeed.
Psychologically, this book is utterly incredible. Each of the 6 players has their own issues and Achilles heel before the Game even begins, and as the Game progresses we can see the differing effects of stress on each individual as they struggle to deal with the humiliating consequences and are lead deeper and deeper into the pitfalls of both pride and revenge.
Unbelievably, this is Christopher Yates’ debut novel. It is dark, disturbing and compelling, contains sneaky plot-twists and the characterisation is magnificent. In short, it’s ingenious.
Disclaimer: I was sent an ecopy of Black Chalk by NetGalley for the purposes of this review, but the opinions given are, as always, entirely my own.