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3.42 AVERAGE
3.42 AVERAGE
I remember reading [b:And Then There Were None|16299|And Then There Were None|Agatha Christie|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1638425885l/16299._SY75_.jpg|3038872] more than ten years ago, and I knew what I was getting into with [b:Ten|11958033|Ten|Gretchen McNeil|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1332152297l/11958033._SY75_.jpg|16920256]. But for some reason, this managed to trick me quite a bit more as an adult than [b:And Then There Were None|16299|And Then There Were None|Agatha Christie|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1638425885l/16299._SY75_.jpg|3038872] did when I was twelve.
I won't go into a lot of the mystery itself because I don't want to spoil anything. But I did like the diversity of characters and the way that mental health / illness was at the forefront of all of it.
As for the characters themselves, I didn't exactly like any of them as people. The drama was really petty, and they were annoying as people and characters, even the main character and main couple. It's the kind of secret keeping that would appeal to a young high school reader, but that I think I would have found far-fetched even back then.
I've realized while writing this that [b:Ten|11958033|Ten|Gretchen McNeil|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1332152297l/11958033._SY75_.jpg|16920256] is a very unremarkable book, and that I think it's trying too hard to be [b:And Then There Were None|16299|And Then There Were None|Agatha Christie|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1638425885l/16299._SY75_.jpg|3038872]. I think I've gotten all I can out of it. And I'm glad I finally read it, after it's been on my shelves for a really long time. But I won't be rereading it.
I won't go into a lot of the mystery itself because I don't want to spoil anything. But I did like the diversity of characters and the way that mental health / illness was at the forefront of all of it.
As for the characters themselves, I didn't exactly like any of them as people. The drama was really petty, and they were annoying as people and characters, even the main character and main couple. It's the kind of secret keeping that would appeal to a young high school reader, but that I think I would have found far-fetched even back then.
I've realized while writing this that [b:Ten|11958033|Ten|Gretchen McNeil|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1332152297l/11958033._SY75_.jpg|16920256] is a very unremarkable book, and that I think it's trying too hard to be [b:And Then There Were None|16299|And Then There Were None|Agatha Christie|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1638425885l/16299._SY75_.jpg|3038872]. I think I've gotten all I can out of it. And I'm glad I finally read it, after it's been on my shelves for a really long time. But I won't be rereading it.
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This mystery, a modern teen retelling of the Agatha Christie classic, is really quite a fun ride. The book blurbs were not wrong, it was a page turner right from the start and had enough twists to make it good mystery while including enough new details to make it timely for teens while new for those already familiar with the basic plot. Highly recommended, all teens, great for reluctant readers too!
Aburrido, previsible y he odiado a todos los personajes. Una decepción, lo único bueno que tiene es que no es muy largo y se termina rápido, pero no lo recomendaría.
2.75. I know I'm picky. But I didn't believe in the characters. Also, they were all unlikeable, and I was very dissatisfied by the ending. I found it anticlimactic and the book overall was underwhelming and a bit predictable in my opinion, full of clichés that I didn't like. I felt like I was reading Riverdale. Still entertaining, I was compelled to finish it.
Reading a book like this gives me hope that more YA books can make good mystery and suspense. Every chapter had mounting tension as characters are being picked of one by one. Adding to the mystery of not only who is the killer but also what their motivation is. It's pretty clear that this a contemporary YA version of And Then There Were None, I book that I love so much and it still has the same spirit as Christie's novel! Recommend if you love suspense and mystery!
adventurous
challenging
dark
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:
Complicated
I liked it! And also hated it!! I think YA horror novels just have the most unlikeable characters. I unintentionally have ended up hate reading them and loving it!!
I was really disappointed in this book. I felt like a YA Agatha Christie-esque story would have been interesting but it just felt bland. At times, it seemed like the author was going to touch on some cool topics (abusive relationships, mental health, etc.) but they just used them as lame plot points. There lacked any depth to relationships, characters, etc. I wouldn't recommend this.
The Good: If you're not familiar with Agatha Christie, then you might not see the ending coming. And, well, probably a lot of teens are not familiar with her, so this book's end twist might seem brilliant!
The Bad: I won't fault this novel for being unoriginal because re-telling classic stories is a trend right now, and that's fine, but the novel just wasn't well written. The main character's inner monologue told every mundane thought that went through her head, and all of the "possibilities" for what was happening. If writers do their job well, they don't need to have the main character constantly voice "what if this happened?" or "what if so-and-so is the killer?" Good writing leads the reader to wonder those things themselves. The character musing about it all is just annoying filler. And the characters... they were 2-dimensional at best. The relationship between the main character (Meg) and her BFF (Minnie) had an attempt at some depth, but it fell flat because it was so predictable and neither of them changed or grew. And it was painful to read, because I could see the author trying to set up Meg as this girl who never speaks her mind and to save herself she just needs to stand up and say what she really thinks, but instead her knight in shining armour shows up. Lame. And the mystery... there are holes in it. Even though the villain explained everything at the end, a lot of things don't make sense and would be impossible for one person to pull off. Especially the set up about the party. [SPOILER ALERT] Really, no one talked to the host before they went? They all just accepted this Facebook invite and went separately to a deserted island? And though the villain at the end explains that the host was going to a different weekend party, so if anyone mentioned a party, she'd assume it was that one... come on, how stupid is that? A party on a deserted island doesn't get mixed up with a party in the city. And no one checked the WEATHER?! There was a convenient storm that trapped them all there so they couldn't escape??? Did the villain plan the weather too?!
Oh gosh, I'm getting angry now. I think I could write a least a dozen pages ranting about the holes in the villain's "brilliant plot." But I won't.
In Conclusion: If you love mysteries and killers with brilliant plans, don't read this book.
The Bad: I won't fault this novel for being unoriginal because re-telling classic stories is a trend right now, and that's fine, but the novel just wasn't well written. The main character's inner monologue told every mundane thought that went through her head, and all of the "possibilities" for what was happening. If writers do their job well, they don't need to have the main character constantly voice "what if this happened?" or "what if so-and-so is the killer?" Good writing leads the reader to wonder those things themselves. The character musing about it all is just annoying filler. And the characters... they were 2-dimensional at best. The relationship between the main character (Meg) and her BFF (Minnie) had an attempt at some depth, but it fell flat because it was so predictable and neither of them changed or grew. And it was painful to read, because I could see the author trying to set up Meg as this girl who never speaks her mind and to save herself she just needs to stand up and say what she really thinks, but instead her knight in shining armour shows up. Lame. And the mystery... there are holes in it. Even though the villain explained everything at the end, a lot of things don't make sense and would be impossible for one person to pull off. Especially the set up about the party. [SPOILER ALERT] Really, no one talked to the host before they went? They all just accepted this Facebook invite and went separately to a deserted island? And though the villain at the end explains that the host was going to a different weekend party, so if anyone mentioned a party, she'd assume it was that one... come on, how stupid is that? A party on a deserted island doesn't get mixed up with a party in the city. And no one checked the WEATHER?! There was a convenient storm that trapped them all there so they couldn't escape??? Did the villain plan the weather too?!
Oh gosh, I'm getting angry now. I think I could write a least a dozen pages ranting about the holes in the villain's "brilliant plot." But I won't.
In Conclusion: If you love mysteries and killers with brilliant plans, don't read this book.