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3.42 AVERAGE
3.42 AVERAGE
adventurous
challenging
dark
hopeful
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Stars: 2.5
McNeil's book "Ten" doesn't break any new ground or give any new twist to the thriller trope. Even though it does not acknowledge it in the author's notes, it is an adaptation of Agatha Christie's "And Then There Were None" which WAS a book that broke new ground at the time of its publication.
Despite that it is a basic rebook with a YA angle of Christie's masterpiece, "Ten" is an enjoyable read for most of its length. McNeil builds tension and atmosphere as the story progresses. Ten teenagers isolated on an island during a storm that knocks out communication with a killer on the loose. She manages to make it modern even if some of the characters are very much stereotypes (the asshole and his dumb friend, the type A bitch, the lovable friend, the snarky girlfriend, etc.) but she does have a few distinctive characters like Meg (the protagonist) and her best friend Minnie. There could have been more diversity in both POC and LGBT representation.
I won't spoil the story and for those of you who are mystery aficionados, you'll probably figure it out about 50 percent into the plot. Even pretty much knowing who the killer is from a ways in, I thought the reasoning for it and some of the modern bits she set up were effective.
Where I wish McNeil had done a better job was in the relationship between Meg and Minnie. Theirs is a complicated, dependent relationship with bonds that went deeper than was really given time. Minnie is bipolar and prone to anxiety/panic attack and paranoia. Meg feels responsible for her but you understand that she does love her friend. Their past is fraught with a lot of things we don't really find out about.
The last 20 percent of the story goes in a sort of typical thriller/mystery direction and places the romantic relationship above that of the more interesting friendship between the two young women. I would have liked a different ending.
If you are looking for something new in YA thriller, probably not for you.
If you are looking for a good popcorn read to read for a good thrill and not have to think too hard, this is entirely for you and you'll definitely enjoy it.
Stars: 2.5
McNeil's book "Ten" doesn't break any new ground or give any new twist to the thriller trope. Even though it does not acknowledge it in the author's notes, it is an adaptation of Agatha Christie's "And Then There Were None" which WAS a book that broke new ground at the time of its publication.
Despite that it is a basic rebook with a YA angle of Christie's masterpiece, "Ten" is an enjoyable read for most of its length. McNeil builds tension and atmosphere as the story progresses. Ten teenagers isolated on an island during a storm that knocks out communication with a killer on the loose. She manages to make it modern even if some of the characters are very much stereotypes (the asshole and his dumb friend, the type A bitch, the lovable friend, the snarky girlfriend, etc.) but she does have a few distinctive characters like Meg (the protagonist) and her best friend Minnie. There could have been more diversity in both POC and LGBT representation.
I won't spoil the story and for those of you who are mystery aficionados, you'll probably figure it out about 50 percent into the plot. Even pretty much knowing who the killer is from a ways in, I thought the reasoning for it and some of the modern bits she set up were effective.
Where I wish McNeil had done a better job was in the relationship between Meg and Minnie. Theirs is a complicated, dependent relationship with bonds that went deeper than was really given time. Minnie is bipolar and prone to anxiety/panic attack and paranoia. Meg feels responsible for her but you understand that she does love her friend. Their past is fraught with a lot of things we don't really find out about.
The last 20 percent of the story goes in a sort of typical thriller/mystery direction and places the romantic relationship above that of the more interesting friendship between the two young women. I would have liked a different ending.
If you are looking for something new in YA thriller, probably not for you.
If you are looking for a good popcorn read to read for a good thrill and not have to think too hard, this is entirely for you and you'll definitely enjoy it.
Stars: 2.5
adventurous
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Si leyeron "diez negritos" de Agatha Christie ya leyeron este libro también porque el plot es exactamente el mismo pero una versión tirando más a drama adolescente que a cualquier otra cosa.
Estoy conflictuada, no se cuanto me gustó este libro y cuanto no...
Estoy conflictuada, no se cuanto me gustó este libro y cuanto no...
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
A quick listen on audio with a narrator who conveyed the emotions of each character well! The story immediately had me hooked - two best friends on the way to an invite-only party in a mansion on an island? There were immediate allusions to events that were incredibly defining in Meg and Minnie’s friendship and had me itching to know WHAT HAPPENED DURING HOMECOMING??
We’re then introduced to the cast of ten characters that bring the story home. If you’re familiar with Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None, you know how this goes.
The story had a lot of twists and turns, with each character being as complicated as they could be. This left me wondering exactly who was the sane one in this group so I could trust THEIR theory at the very least. I still got it wrong.
We’re then introduced to the cast of ten characters that bring the story home. If you’re familiar with Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None, you know how this goes.
The story had a lot of twists and turns, with each character being as complicated as they could be. This left me wondering exactly who was the sane one in this group so I could trust THEIR theory at the very least. I still got it wrong.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Suicide, Murder
Moderate: Gun violence, Alcohol
I would have given this book five stars, as it was excellently written, suspenseful, engaging, and a lot of fun to read, not to mention the fact that it was a thriller without being overly gruesome. However, anyone who has read Agatha Christie's And Then There Were None will already be able to guess at the plot and resolution of this story. This book is basically a modern retelling of Dame Christie's work, which isn't a bad thing, necessarily, but it would have been good for the author to acknowledge this. Hence the four stars instead of five.
está entretenido no te voy a engañar, diez negritos me gustó más tho
It started off feeling like I was reading the movie Prom Night or Friday the 13th. Teen is wronged and takes revenge on all who had a part in it. But this book was so much more. It kept me guessing and reading. It had me rooting for them and yelling in my head "don't go in there." I loved the way the author made it all come together. The ending could have been stronger but all in all I wasn't disappointed. I see a movie in it's future.
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Another good little thriller to get through October with. Mystery, suspense, and plenty of teen drama thrown in there with a helluva whodunit by the end. Good quick, easy read!