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3.42 AVERAGE
3.42 AVERAGE
That was hard to get through. Because of the writing.
I mean…. Where are these kids parents?!?!?
I couldn’t suspend my belief enough for this story and I couldn’t wait for it to be over.
And the “twist” was pretty predictable so I felt pretty let down as the tale went on.
I mean…. Where are these kids parents?!?!?
I couldn’t suspend my belief enough for this story and I couldn’t wait for it to be over.
And the “twist” was pretty predictable so I felt pretty let down as the tale went on.
Ever wonder what [b:Ten Little Indians|19698740|Ten Little Indians|Agatha Christie|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1387705158s/19698740.jpg|27770818] would be like if all the characters were high schoolers? Me neither! And yet, here we are.
And more than the plot is recreated here: the spare characterizations are spot on, as is the puzzle-like nature of the plot and the simplistic but immersively created setting. What makes the two different, however, is that I wanted to kill every last one of the characters in Ten myself. They. Are. So. Tedious.
Even the narrator seems to have been Fed Ex-d to the plot from the Daphne du Maurier School for Wide-Eyed Blameless Victims. So you have to bear down and stick with the first sixty pages of obligatory sniping and unsupervised "partying". These high schoolers party like thirty-year-old hipsters. It's kind of tragic.
But when McNeil finally gets around to killing them off, it's very good fun indeed. In fact, at the discovery of the first victim, I was so creeped out I had to set the book aside and wait til morning to continue. That's a hallmark of good storytelling. So too is all the running around the heroine does in aid of solving the plot -- which she basically doesn't, a point I count in her favor.
There's no J'Accuse! moment at the end but there is the obligatory neat resolution of the type that Dame Agatha favored. And with it my desire to know What Happened Next, but that's another story, in more ways than one.
And more than the plot is recreated here: the spare characterizations are spot on, as is the puzzle-like nature of the plot and the simplistic but immersively created setting. What makes the two different, however, is that I wanted to kill every last one of the characters in Ten myself. They. Are. So. Tedious.
Even the narrator seems to have been Fed Ex-d to the plot from the Daphne du Maurier School for Wide-Eyed Blameless Victims. So you have to bear down and stick with the first sixty pages of obligatory sniping and unsupervised "partying". These high schoolers party like thirty-year-old hipsters. It's kind of tragic.
But when McNeil finally gets around to killing them off, it's very good fun indeed. In fact, at the discovery of the first victim, I was so creeped out I had to set the book aside and wait til morning to continue. That's a hallmark of good storytelling. So too is all the running around the heroine does in aid of solving the plot -- which she basically doesn't, a point I count in her favor.
There's no J'Accuse! moment at the end but there is the obligatory neat resolution of the type that Dame Agatha favored. And with it my desire to know What Happened Next, but that's another story, in more ways than one.
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide, Murder, Toxic friendship
Moderate: Bullying
dark
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
Not a bad story...just a bit predicable. The killer wasn't easy to guess and was a bit of a surprise but beyond that, it was a typical murder mystery. Only this time with teenagers.
The main character was a bit annoying in her protecting her mentally unbalanced friend and feeling attraction to a boy from school while the killings were going on. When people are being killed? make sure to think of how excited you are by your high school crush almost constantly. Totally not realistic since high school aged people would be freaking out.
Again, not a bad book. It passed the time and it was enjoyable despite it's issues.
The main character was a bit annoying in her protecting her mentally unbalanced friend and feeling attraction to a boy from school while the killings were going on. When people are being killed? make sure to think of how excited you are by your high school crush almost constantly. Totally not realistic since high school aged people would be freaking out.
Again, not a bad book. It passed the time and it was enjoyable despite it's issues.
And Then There Were None retelling that fell way way flat.
I love a good mystery and when I heard Ten was a thriller adapted from Agatha Christie’s novel And Then There Were None I immediately preordered it. McNeil delivered a suspenseful, gripping and entertaining thriller that kept me guessing till the end. I consumed this in a single day and loved it.
Ten is a fantastic thriller that takes place on Henry Island located off the coast of the Pacific Northwest. Meg and Minnie two high school seniors are heading by ferry to the island for the hottest, hippest party of the year. When they arrive on the island, they find only eight other people have been invited. Stranger still, they don’t all know each other and attend different schools. The host has been delayed and won’t arrive until morning. They make themselves at home, and kick back a few beers as storm rages outside. They gather round to watch a movie and pop in a DVD. It contains an eerie, sinister message that declares, “Vengeance is mine”. The tale that unfolds is suspenseful, creepy and kept me captivated to the last page.
I loved the “Breakfast Club” mix of personalities invited to the island. The protagonist Meg, is pretty grounded and plans to be a writer. She looks out for her friends and often puts their needs first. She tends to be an observer and a bit awkward, but I liked her. Minnie is loud, crass and has serious mental health issues. While I felt sorry for her, I also loathed her. TJ is a very handsome, a polite boy that Minnie has crushed on forever. The rest of the teens have all different personalities. From the jock to the know-it-all bitch. McNeil cleverly portrayed them so that some you liked and others you did not. The romance that develops was sweet and genuine. I loved watching it develop and it created a nice diversion from the killings!
While the tale is told in third person, Meg drives most of the tale. McNeil did a fantastic job of letting this tale unfold. There is a fine art to revealing clues to the reader, and hers were quite ingenious. Midway through the book, we knew the connection between the teens, but not the why or how. McNeil, kept me guessing as to who the killer was. I did solve it, but had to wait to find out the how and why. I loved every tantalizing moment of it. The entire book was well paced, as the suspense kept building. The last quarter of the book moved at a blindingly delicious speed that had my heart racing. The climatic ending was epic and had me gripping my nook as the scene unfolded. As the final details were revealed, all the puzzle pieces McNeil had subtlety provided fell into place. I love that moment; that feeling when you see the whole picture and believe. It was incredibly done, and I loved every spine-chilling moment.
Ten will delight fans of mystery and suspense. This thriller kept me completely entertained and is the perfect fall read. Gretchen McNeil weaves a fine tale and I look forward to reading more of her work.
Kimba the Caffeinated Book Reviewer
Ten is a fantastic thriller that takes place on Henry Island located off the coast of the Pacific Northwest. Meg and Minnie two high school seniors are heading by ferry to the island for the hottest, hippest party of the year. When they arrive on the island, they find only eight other people have been invited. Stranger still, they don’t all know each other and attend different schools. The host has been delayed and won’t arrive until morning. They make themselves at home, and kick back a few beers as storm rages outside. They gather round to watch a movie and pop in a DVD. It contains an eerie, sinister message that declares, “Vengeance is mine”. The tale that unfolds is suspenseful, creepy and kept me captivated to the last page.
I loved the “Breakfast Club” mix of personalities invited to the island. The protagonist Meg, is pretty grounded and plans to be a writer. She looks out for her friends and often puts their needs first. She tends to be an observer and a bit awkward, but I liked her. Minnie is loud, crass and has serious mental health issues. While I felt sorry for her, I also loathed her. TJ is a very handsome, a polite boy that Minnie has crushed on forever. The rest of the teens have all different personalities. From the jock to the know-it-all bitch. McNeil cleverly portrayed them so that some you liked and others you did not. The romance that develops was sweet and genuine. I loved watching it develop and it created a nice diversion from the killings!
While the tale is told in third person, Meg drives most of the tale. McNeil did a fantastic job of letting this tale unfold. There is a fine art to revealing clues to the reader, and hers were quite ingenious. Midway through the book, we knew the connection between the teens, but not the why or how. McNeil, kept me guessing as to who the killer was. I did solve it, but had to wait to find out the how and why. I loved every tantalizing moment of it. The entire book was well paced, as the suspense kept building. The last quarter of the book moved at a blindingly delicious speed that had my heart racing. The climatic ending was epic and had me gripping my nook as the scene unfolded. As the final details were revealed, all the puzzle pieces McNeil had subtlety provided fell into place. I love that moment; that feeling when you see the whole picture and believe. It was incredibly done, and I loved every spine-chilling moment.
Ten will delight fans of mystery and suspense. This thriller kept me completely entertained and is the perfect fall read. Gretchen McNeil weaves a fine tale and I look forward to reading more of her work.
Kimba the Caffeinated Book Reviewer
I could write a long, ranting review, but here's the skinny:
If you loved Gretchen McNiel's debut and love angsty teen stories, no matter how they take shape, or even if they take shape, then keep this one on your TBR and enjoy every melodramatic minute.
If you're a Gretchen newbie intrigued by Ten's premise and haven't read Agatha Christie's And Then There Were None yet, push this one back on your must-have list and grab the original then decide.
If like me you're new to McNeil and wanted to try Ten because you love the story the author drew from then run, don't walk, and re-read the best mystery novel ever penned and leave Ten to the true teenyboppers and their angsty, antsy love of angsty, antsy books for angsty, antsy people.
If you loved Gretchen McNiel's debut and love angsty teen stories, no matter how they take shape, or even if they take shape, then keep this one on your TBR and enjoy every melodramatic minute.
If you're a Gretchen newbie intrigued by Ten's premise and haven't read Agatha Christie's And Then There Were None yet, push this one back on your must-have list and grab the original then decide.
If like me you're new to McNeil and wanted to try Ten because you love the story the author drew from then run, don't walk, and re-read the best mystery novel ever penned and leave Ten to the true teenyboppers and their angsty, antsy love of angsty, antsy books for angsty, antsy people.
I normally wouldn't read this book. I'm the girl who (literally) jumps in the air when someone switches on a light unexpectedly, or randomly puts a hand on her shoulder. Halloween? I stay indoors. This book was MEGA CREEPY, but I enjoyed it!! It's not JUST scary- it's thrilling, dramatic, a mystery. Very well done.