Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.47 AVERAGE
3.47 AVERAGE
I read this book originally in high school and was hesitant to read it again, 6 years later. But oh my god it's still so good! The main character, Abbey, is hilarious. She has very similar thoughts that I would have "Oh my god did I just say that? That sound soooo inappropriate!" I know not everyone would like this book, but I felt the character was very realistic and while it is kind of cheeses at times, the cheese factor is balanced out by the overall depressing theme of the book. If you're not sure, give it a try!
This book read like a second draft--more or less in order, but with really rough line by line writing. The dialogue was atrocious, there were pages and pages of boring, repetitive descriptions of daily life, plot points were brought up, glanced at, and then dropped in favor of more daily grind. I wanted to take a red pen to it and cross out vast tracts. I wish I had something good to say, but I don't.
Honestly, this book just DRAGGED on for me. I think that the plot was ok... but after the first two hundred pages, I found myself wondering if any of it was neccesary at all. Everything just kind of built up suspense for a dissappointing ending that didn't answer any of the questions that I had about the only interesting character, Kristin.
After the supposed drowning of her best friend, Abbey struggles to deal with the tremendous loss she is feeling. One day down by the bridge where Kristen disappeared Abbey meets Caspian, a boy with mysteries of his own. As the two of them become closer, and as Abbey discovers the secrets Kristen kept from her, Abbey begins to suspect that not everyone is who they really seem.
Okay, I admit that isn't my best book summary, but it was the best I could do. See the Goodreads blurb, it is better. I think the reason I found writing this blurb so hard is because I am really not sure what to say about this book. To me, it felt like a lot of time spent going nowhere.
The Hollow has a great premise, and a great title. I love the fact that she tried to set a somewhat creepy mood, a mood that might imitate the one set by Irving's The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, but beyond that the book fell flat. I expected so much more from a novel that was using such a spectacular American story.
My biggest complaint is that I felt like the novel didn't go anywhere. By the time we even begin to explore some the paranormal aspects of the story you are already in the last 100 pages. Most of the book is focused on Abbey dealing with her grief over Kristen's loss and her trying to avoid her mother's pushiness. I think we just spent too long rehashing the same emotions, feelings, and ideas over and over again.
The audio version of this book is very well done and I fell like I wouldn't have finished it without the audio version. The unabridged audio book is produced by Blackstone Audio and read by Cassandra Campbell. At first I thought Campbell sounded too old to be the voice of Abbey, but after settling in an listening to it I found her to be quite believable as Abbey. The audio was essential to me finishing this book.
Overall, this book did a great job with setting and mood, but the story only really started getting interesting at the end. It was a long book where nothing really ever seemed to happen. I have a sneaking suspicion that this book was just laying the foundation for the next books in the series. Am I curious enough to continue? I might, but not without the audio.
Cautions for sensitive readers: mild language.
I had a little trouble really getting into this book. It wasn't till about 3/4ths into it that I actually hit a climax and felt like i was getting somewhere. Its a good book just a little slow. But i was pretty shocked at the turn out.
I didn’t like this book. It starts off with Abbey at the memorial service of her best friend, Kristen, and it’s quite intriguing. Abbey doesn’t believe she’s dead, but she has no clue what happened. Questions spring to mind automatically for the reader, but you’ll have to wait a while for even a smidgen of an answer. Then Caspian enters, and Abbey falls for him. The only problem is, he’s hot, then he’s cold, and Abbey never really knows what’s going on with them.
That’s pretty much the story; what happened to Kristen and what’s happening between the two of them? Things start picking up around the last 40 – 30 pages. Perhaps there will be some meaning in the next book in the series, but most of what happens in this book – walks through the cemetery, Abbey making perfume, going to school and coming home – it doesn’t really play any real part, and drags. I suppose you could say that it helps to build characterisation, and you could be right, but it just wasn’t interesting, in my opinion. I always read on author sites that scenes should make the story progress. For the most part, in my opinion, they didn’t in The Hollow.
The characters; I really liked Ben. Who is Ben? A secondary character you don’t see very much of, but the only one who seemed real to me. Abbey and Caspian just don’t behave like normal teenagers. A lot of my friends are teenagers, and I watch American teenage movies; teenagers don’t behave the way Abbey and Caspian do. Abbey reads far too much into what Caspian says, and reacts more like a younger teenager, say 12 – 13, rather than a 16-year-old. Caspian is around 20, and nor does he say things someone his age would say, nor what guys would say generally – or at least not in the way Caspian says them. Neither character was all that believable, and I didn’t feel anything for them. I didn’t relate to them, and I didn’t care about them.
On a positive note, the description in this novel was amazing. You can really see in your mind’s eye all the places Abbey goes to, and they sound so beautiful! Especially the cemetery! The setting of Sleepy Hollow for this novel is just awesome to imagine.
For anyone expecting an action packed urban fantasy, be prepared to be disappointed. There is no action, and the only fantasy elements make an appearance in the last 40 – 30 pages. There aren’t really any concrete answers to the questions brought up throughout the book. Overall, I was pretty disappointed with The Hollow, especially as I was really looking forward to it.
The Hollow wasn’t for me, but that doesn’t mean it won’t be for you either. Read a few other reviews before you make a choice. But I think I can safely say I won’t be picking up the sequel when it comes out.
That’s pretty much the story; what happened to Kristen and what’s happening between the two of them? Things start picking up around the last 40 – 30 pages. Perhaps there will be some meaning in the next book in the series, but most of what happens in this book – walks through the cemetery, Abbey making perfume, going to school and coming home – it doesn’t really play any real part, and drags. I suppose you could say that it helps to build characterisation, and you could be right, but it just wasn’t interesting, in my opinion. I always read on author sites that scenes should make the story progress. For the most part, in my opinion, they didn’t in The Hollow.
The characters; I really liked Ben. Who is Ben? A secondary character you don’t see very much of, but the only one who seemed real to me. Abbey and Caspian just don’t behave like normal teenagers. A lot of my friends are teenagers, and I watch American teenage movies; teenagers don’t behave the way Abbey and Caspian do. Abbey reads far too much into what Caspian says, and reacts more like a younger teenager, say 12 – 13, rather than a 16-year-old. Caspian is around 20, and nor does he say things someone his age would say, nor what guys would say generally – or at least not in the way Caspian says them. Neither character was all that believable, and I didn’t feel anything for them. I didn’t relate to them, and I didn’t care about them.
On a positive note, the description in this novel was amazing. You can really see in your mind’s eye all the places Abbey goes to, and they sound so beautiful! Especially the cemetery! The setting of Sleepy Hollow for this novel is just awesome to imagine.
For anyone expecting an action packed urban fantasy, be prepared to be disappointed. There is no action, and the only fantasy elements make an appearance in the last 40 – 30 pages. There aren’t really any concrete answers to the questions brought up throughout the book. Overall, I was pretty disappointed with The Hollow, especially as I was really looking forward to it.
The Hollow wasn’t for me, but that doesn’t mean it won’t be for you either. Read a few other reviews before you make a choice. But I think I can safely say I won’t be picking up the sequel when it comes out.
Interesting how this is shaped around the Legend of Sleepy Hallow
Well, this was an experience.
A bit of background information: I bought this book several years ago. I tried reading it once or twice but never got farther than around twenty pages. But, my goal this summer was to read most of my unread books (there are almost 100), so I decided to tackle this one, so I could get closer to completing my goodreads challenge and make room on my bookshelves.
I was really hoping this book would surprise me. If nothing else, I wanted it to be one of those books I like to call "quality trash" - guilty pleasure reads, the ones you know aren't literary masterpieces, but they're just so addictingly bad that you can't put them down. But no. This one was just boring.
I know authors put so much hard work into their books, so I hate writing bad reviews, but sometimes you just have to get it out of your system, and this one was just NOT for me. Maybe had I read this when I was twelve or thirteen I would've enjoyed it, but the world will never know.
I remember I bought this book because I had never read a retelling of the Legend of Sleepy Hollow, and the whole idea really intrigued me (because I'm trash for retellings). But that whole aspect could've been taken out of this book and it would've been the same - a paranormal romance where an outcast girl constantly worries about if the mysterious hot guy likes her or not. For a girl whose best friend literally just DIED, she spent a lot more time worrying about Caspian or whatever his name was instead of trying to figure out what happened to her friend - which is what she kept saying she was going to do. The whole book just seemed to be the same scenes over and over. I ended up skimming half of it because I felt that I'd already read it.
So yeah, this one was not for me. At least it won't be taking up valuable shelf space anymore.
A bit of background information: I bought this book several years ago. I tried reading it once or twice but never got farther than around twenty pages. But, my goal this summer was to read most of my unread books (there are almost 100), so I decided to tackle this one, so I could get closer to completing my goodreads challenge and make room on my bookshelves.
I was really hoping this book would surprise me. If nothing else, I wanted it to be one of those books I like to call "quality trash" - guilty pleasure reads, the ones you know aren't literary masterpieces, but they're just so addictingly bad that you can't put them down. But no. This one was just boring.
I know authors put so much hard work into their books, so I hate writing bad reviews, but sometimes you just have to get it out of your system, and this one was just NOT for me. Maybe had I read this when I was twelve or thirteen I would've enjoyed it, but the world will never know.
I remember I bought this book because I had never read a retelling of the Legend of Sleepy Hollow, and the whole idea really intrigued me (because I'm trash for retellings). But that whole aspect could've been taken out of this book and it would've been the same - a paranormal romance where an outcast girl constantly worries about if the mysterious hot guy likes her or not. For a girl whose best friend literally just DIED, she spent a lot more time worrying about Caspian or whatever his name was instead of trying to figure out what happened to her friend - which is what she kept saying she was going to do. The whole book just seemed to be the same scenes over and over. I ended up skimming half of it because I felt that I'd already read it.
So yeah, this one was not for me. At least it won't be taking up valuable shelf space anymore.
The Hollow
I feel like this book could have easily of been 200 pages shorter and that the twist should have happened a lot earlier on in the narrative.
I feel like this book could have easily of been 200 pages shorter and that the twist should have happened a lot earlier on in the narrative.
emotional
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I really enjoyed the plot and characters of the story. Once I started it was hard to put down.