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3.85 AVERAGE
3.85 AVERAGE
Wasn't for me, couldn't grip me. Felt mostly weird just for the sake of being weird.
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
O livro mais estranho que já li na vida. Uma narrativa críptica, bizarra, engraçada e algumas vezes levemente irritante, cada personagem na cidade de Night Vale possui um nível de excentricidade e carisma tão grandes que torna esse universo confuso bem gostoso de visitar. O mistério central é genuinamente intrigante, e mesmo nas partes mais cansativas, principalmente no terço inicial, é ele que faz com que a história continue a progredir. Quando o ritmo engata, tudo flui de maneira hipnótica até a conclusão, que mesmo sendo anticlimática, ainda é bem satisfatória. Gostei bastante.
dark
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
emotional
funny
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:
No
Maybe I went in with the wrong expectations, but to be honest, I didn't really enjoy this one. The story of Jackie and Diane was compelling, but everything around it was just... happening. It was incredibly weird and all over the place in a way I wasn't interested in. I heard of the podcast, but I'll probably pass on it because I'm not interested in seeing more of this world, to be honest.
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
dark
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
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
adventurous
funny
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
TLDR
This book is as strange and dryly funny as the podcast it came from—complete with a woman with branches growing out of her head, invisible pie, and secret police notes scribbled in diners at 3 a.m. It’s slow, sometimes too stylized, and very much for existing fans. But there’s real emotional depth in Jackie and Diane’s arcs, which land in a satisfying way by the end. The excerpts from Cecil’s radio show bring both familiarity and a few key pieces of new information, helping ground the story back in the world we know—just from a different angle. Worth the read if you’ve been in Night Vale for a while—less so if you’re new.
This book is as strange and dryly funny as the podcast it came from—complete with a woman with branches growing out of her head, invisible pie, and secret police notes scribbled in diners at 3 a.m. It’s slow, sometimes too stylized, and very much for existing fans. But there’s real emotional depth in Jackie and Diane’s arcs, which land in a satisfying way by the end. The excerpts from Cecil’s radio show bring both familiarity and a few key pieces of new information, helping ground the story back in the world we know—just from a different angle. Worth the read if you’ve been in Night Vale for a while—less so if you’re new.
———
Full Review
Welcome to Night Vale is weird. But if you’re reading this, you probably already expected that. This is a town where reality is more of a suggestion than a rule—where people accept a diner that disappears and reappears on a whim, a woman with branches growing from her skull who quietly judges you, and a local government that may or may not be watching you through the notepad of a diner waitress. Also, time doesn’t work the way you think it does—so don’t even try to keep track of it. (Wink.)
As someone who’s been listening to the Night Vale podcast for almost ten years, I found it strangely comforting to walk back into this chaos. The book doesn’t waste time easing you in—it assumes you know how things work here, and it’s not in a rush to explain anything. If you’re new, you might feel like you’ve opened a novel halfway through a dream you didn’t know you were having.
The most grounded part of the story comes from the dual perspective of Jackie Fierro and Diane Crayton. Jackie, a pawn shop owner who’s stuck—emotionally, temporally, metaphorically—and Diane, a single mom with a shape-shifting teenage son, are both wrapped in the weirdness of the town but also clearly human. Their emotional journeys anchor the story, and by the end, the payoff really lands. The resolution is subtle but earned, and their character development feels honest in a story that’s anything but.
That said, this book moves slow. Sometimes the plot meanders so much you forget what the characters were even trying to do. The writing is poetic and offbeat (in true Night Vale fashion), but it can get a bit too self-aware at times, bordering on obscure just for the sake of being clever. There were definitely a few paragraphs where I had to pause and ask, “Wait, did that just happen?”
The excerpts from Cecil’s radio show were a welcome element. Not just for the nostalgic voice or tone—it’s more than that. They help reorient the reader within the familiar structure of Night Vale while pushing the story forward. His updates carry new information, fill in the gaps from other parts of town, and give that omnipresent, slightly conspiratorial feeling that only Cecil can deliver. It’s a smart structural choice, and a solid way to balance the more personal, grounded narrative of Jackie and Diane.
There are great little moments of Night Vale weirdness throughout—people obsessed with numerology and bureaucratic rituals, the mysterious man in a tan jacket who no one can quite remember, and of course, the overall sense that nothing is ever quite explainable. These are the kinds of details longtime fans will appreciate, but without the context of the podcast, they might feel more confusing than clever.
Ultimately, this felt like a strange and thoughtful return to a world I’ve spent years listening to. It’s not flawless—slow pacing and dense style make it a bit of a slog at times—but there’s enough heart and weird charm to make it worthwhile. Just… maybe don’t read it all in one sitting. You might start seeing branches grow out of your own head.
challenging
mysterious
medium-paced
If you are a fan of the podcast then this is a must!
If not and you are someone who enjoys a quirky story, we'll written with multiple POV's then this is for you too.
On the surface Night Vale appears to be Roswell-esque but is so much more. Beautifully guided by radio host Cecil Baldwin 'The Voice of Night Vale' we are taken on a journey through some very unusual happenings in an extremely unusual town filled with great characters.
This is not scary at all but manages to be atmospheric still and has some very funny parts to it - suspens your disbelief for a few hours and come to Night Vale, just don't enter the dog park!
If not and you are someone who enjoys a quirky story, we'll written with multiple POV's then this is for you too.
On the surface Night Vale appears to be Roswell-esque but is so much more. Beautifully guided by radio host Cecil Baldwin 'The Voice of Night Vale' we are taken on a journey through some very unusual happenings in an extremely unusual town filled with great characters.
This is not scary at all but manages to be atmospheric still and has some very funny parts to it - suspens your disbelief for a few hours and come to Night Vale, just don't enter the dog park!