Scan barcode
etinker's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
ravenrenee's review against another edition
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
amym84's review against another edition
4.0
3.5
After a serious diving injury leads to a concussion, Ingrid struggles with remembering piecing together what went wrong with that last dive that resulting in her injury. Her mind is a blank to everything surrounding it. But with a mandatory month away from the diving board hopefully, that will provide her with plenty of time to heal. Consequently, Ingrid can't seem to fall asleep. As her insomnia gets worse so does the stress and anxiety revolving around diving.
Ingrid finds an ally in her neighbor Van. Former childhood best friend and current crush, even though he's dating a girl on Ingrid's diving team. Van too is suffering from insomnia but his stems from a party where he blacked out and can't remember what happened, only that his friends are now treating him differently. So Van and Ingrid ban together to help one another and their focus turns to the abandoned house next to Ingrid's. There have been strange happenings in the house ever since the family mysteriously left if, and it's where the party took place that Van attended but can't remember.
But as the pieces start coming back for both of them and connects are formed, will they be able to rely on the truth?
The Insomniacs is the first book I've read by Merit Weisenberg. I think I was expecting the story to be a bit lighter, and was a bit surprised by the heavy topics that it tackles.
At the forefront for me was the idea of the pressure young people face to have a plan, to know their future, to excel. Ingrid was a natural diver and somewhere along the way it turned from something she did to feel closer to her father (who was also a diver and who later would leave Ingrid and her mother) to something she was the best at, something that would carry her through college and maybe into the Olympics. When she's injured and the possibility of losing all of that is in sight, it both stresses her out - what else has can she do - but also is a sense of relief - she has an excuse to slow down a bit and take time for herself for once. There's a real possibility that she may never be able to dive at the level she was before her injury, not because she can't remember events, but because there's this fear in her that wasn't present previously. I think that Merit Weisenberg does a great job of tying this into the underlining issues that Ingrid still faces from the abandonment of her father. Although they are issues she hasn't spoken about to anyone and not really even acknowledged within herself.
I liked the idea of how our mind and memories can shape our interpretations of certain situations. The subconscious picking up signs and cues. We see this develop with both Ingrid and Van as they begin to piece together the missing parts of their memories and as those pictures become whole again.
I'll say that here is where the story gets a bit too crowded with everything it's trying to do. As I think back on the story I'm trying myself to do a play-by-play and when you combine the issue of insomnia for both Van and Ingrid, add in the mysterious happenings at the house next door, plus the issues Ingrid is dealing with in going back to diving, the way things progress and connect (or disconnect) is a bit jumbled and I think Van's side of things comes out a bit weaker. To be fair, the story is told completely from Ingrid's perspective, but I feel that if focus had been mainly on her issues those could have been even stronger. There was plenty to focus and dig through for sure.
I liked the tentative romance, the childhood crush finally seeing you, former friends reconnecting, but I feel like this book is being pegged as a more romance heavy story than it is. It's sweet and does fit within the overarching story line, but for me wasn't as prevalent as I had thought it was going to be based on the blurb.
Along with everything going on, there are quite a few twists and turns in the story. Not wanting to give anything away, I could feel certain twists and turns in my gut as I read. I don't know if this was intentional tying in with the idea of subconscious feeling, or if I've read too many books where things progress in a similar way (again maybe my own subconscious hmmm), but I wasn't surprised by many of the twists.
I was mostly invested in seeing Ingrid finally open herself up. To the past with her father, to her new fears of diving, to love, to her future whatever it holds. I think seeing Ingrid hold on so tight to the control of her life, not wanting anything to slip, was the hardest part of the story to read, but it should be. Young people should not feel like they are isolated, that they need to keep the stiff upper lip. They should be able to share their hurts and dreams, fears and desires. That is what The Insomniacs was to me.
*ARC provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
After a serious diving injury leads to a concussion, Ingrid struggles with remembering piecing together what went wrong with that last dive that resulting in her injury. Her mind is a blank to everything surrounding it. But with a mandatory month away from the diving board hopefully, that will provide her with plenty of time to heal. Consequently, Ingrid can't seem to fall asleep. As her insomnia gets worse so does the stress and anxiety revolving around diving.
Ingrid finds an ally in her neighbor Van. Former childhood best friend and current crush, even though he's dating a girl on Ingrid's diving team. Van too is suffering from insomnia but his stems from a party where he blacked out and can't remember what happened, only that his friends are now treating him differently. So Van and Ingrid ban together to help one another and their focus turns to the abandoned house next to Ingrid's. There have been strange happenings in the house ever since the family mysteriously left if, and it's where the party took place that Van attended but can't remember.
But as the pieces start coming back for both of them and connects are formed, will they be able to rely on the truth?
The Insomniacs is the first book I've read by Merit Weisenberg. I think I was expecting the story to be a bit lighter, and was a bit surprised by the heavy topics that it tackles.
At the forefront for me was the idea of the pressure young people face to have a plan, to know their future, to excel. Ingrid was a natural diver and somewhere along the way it turned from something she did to feel closer to her father (who was also a diver and who later would leave Ingrid and her mother) to something she was the best at, something that would carry her through college and maybe into the Olympics. When she's injured and the possibility of losing all of that is in sight, it both stresses her out - what else has can she do - but also is a sense of relief - she has an excuse to slow down a bit and take time for herself for once. There's a real possibility that she may never be able to dive at the level she was before her injury, not because she can't remember events, but because there's this fear in her that wasn't present previously. I think that Merit Weisenberg does a great job of tying this into the underlining issues that Ingrid still faces from the abandonment of her father. Although they are issues she hasn't spoken about to anyone and not really even acknowledged within herself.
I liked the idea of how our mind and memories can shape our interpretations of certain situations. The subconscious picking up signs and cues. We see this develop with both Ingrid and Van as they begin to piece together the missing parts of their memories and as those pictures become whole again.
I'll say that here is where the story gets a bit too crowded with everything it's trying to do. As I think back on the story I'm trying myself to do a play-by-play and when you combine the issue of insomnia for both Van and Ingrid, add in the mysterious happenings at the house next door, plus the issues Ingrid is dealing with in going back to diving, the way things progress and connect (or disconnect) is a bit jumbled and I think Van's side of things comes out a bit weaker. To be fair, the story is told completely from Ingrid's perspective, but I feel that if focus had been mainly on her issues those could have been even stronger. There was plenty to focus and dig through for sure.
I liked the tentative romance, the childhood crush finally seeing you, former friends reconnecting, but I feel like this book is being pegged as a more romance heavy story than it is. It's sweet and does fit within the overarching story line, but for me wasn't as prevalent as I had thought it was going to be based on the blurb.
Along with everything going on, there are quite a few twists and turns in the story. Not wanting to give anything away, I could feel certain twists and turns in my gut as I read. I don't know if this was intentional tying in with the idea of subconscious feeling, or if I've read too many books where things progress in a similar way (again maybe my own subconscious hmmm), but I wasn't surprised by many of the twists.
I was mostly invested in seeing Ingrid finally open herself up. To the past with her father, to her new fears of diving, to love, to her future whatever it holds. I think seeing Ingrid hold on so tight to the control of her life, not wanting anything to slip, was the hardest part of the story to read, but it should be. Young people should not feel like they are isolated, that they need to keep the stiff upper lip. They should be able to share their hurts and dreams, fears and desires. That is what The Insomniacs was to me.
*ARC provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
booksaremypeople's review against another edition
5.0
While the Insomniacs is categorized as young adult, it felt like it would appeal to a much broader audience. Iris is seventeen, a senior in high school and a competitive diver. When the novel begins, we learn she has suffered a recent concussion while diving that leads her to be an unreliable narrator. She keeps reliving her bad dive, trying to piece together how the accident happened. As she recovers in her bedroom, she has a great view of her neighborhood including her longtime crush, Van’s home, as well as the abandoned house next door where she swears she sees evidence of people occupying the house. The concussion has made her an insomniac and she soon learns that Van also shares her affliction. Together, they begin not sleeping together each night.
This novel is beautifully written offering a pitch-perfect plot reveal. Iris feels like a wholly three-dimensional character who struggles with making connections with other people. I also appreciate how her single mother is a good mom who is trying her best instead of falling into the trope of bad parenting that’s portrayed in so much young adult fiction.
This novel is part Rear Window, part love story and all heart. I recommend it to anyone, teen or older, who enjoys a well-written novel about friendship, relationships, secrets and the drive and passion it takes to be involved in competitive sports and the anguish a teen can feel when they are unable to partake in the thing they love. Thank you to Flatiron Books and Netgalley for the advanced review copy.
If you want to learn more about this book, you can listen to episode #31 of my book recommendation podcast, Books Are My People.
Merged review:
While the Insomniacs is categorized as young adult, it felt like it would appeal to a much broader audience. Iris is seventeen, a senior in high school and a competitive diver. When the novel begins, we learn she has suffered a recent concussion while diving that leads her to be an unreliable narrator. She keeps reliving her bad dive, trying to piece together how the accident happened. As she recovers in her bedroom, she has a great view of her neighborhood including her longtime crush, Van’s home, as well as the abandoned house next door where she swears she sees evidence of people occupying the house. The concussion has made her an insomniac and she soon learns that Van also shares her affliction. Together, they begin not sleeping together each night.
This novel is beautifully written offering a pitch-perfect plot reveal. Iris feels like a wholly three-dimensional character who struggles with making connections with other people. I also appreciate how her single mother is a good mom who is trying her best instead of falling into the trope of bad parenting that’s portrayed in so much young adult fiction.
This novel is part Rear Window, part love story and all heart. I recommend it to anyone, teen or older, who enjoys a well-written novel about friendship, relationships, secrets and the drive and passion it takes to be involved in competitive sports and the anguish a teen can feel when they are unable to partake in the thing they love. Thank you to Flatiron Books and Netgalley for the advanced review copy.
If you want to learn more about this book, you can listen to episode #31 of my book recommendation podcast, Books Are My People.
This novel is beautifully written offering a pitch-perfect plot reveal. Iris feels like a wholly three-dimensional character who struggles with making connections with other people. I also appreciate how her single mother is a good mom who is trying her best instead of falling into the trope of bad parenting that’s portrayed in so much young adult fiction.
This novel is part Rear Window, part love story and all heart. I recommend it to anyone, teen or older, who enjoys a well-written novel about friendship, relationships, secrets and the drive and passion it takes to be involved in competitive sports and the anguish a teen can feel when they are unable to partake in the thing they love. Thank you to Flatiron Books and Netgalley for the advanced review copy.
If you want to learn more about this book, you can listen to episode #31 of my book recommendation podcast, Books Are My People.
Merged review:
While the Insomniacs is categorized as young adult, it felt like it would appeal to a much broader audience. Iris is seventeen, a senior in high school and a competitive diver. When the novel begins, we learn she has suffered a recent concussion while diving that leads her to be an unreliable narrator. She keeps reliving her bad dive, trying to piece together how the accident happened. As she recovers in her bedroom, she has a great view of her neighborhood including her longtime crush, Van’s home, as well as the abandoned house next door where she swears she sees evidence of people occupying the house. The concussion has made her an insomniac and she soon learns that Van also shares her affliction. Together, they begin not sleeping together each night.
This novel is beautifully written offering a pitch-perfect plot reveal. Iris feels like a wholly three-dimensional character who struggles with making connections with other people. I also appreciate how her single mother is a good mom who is trying her best instead of falling into the trope of bad parenting that’s portrayed in so much young adult fiction.
This novel is part Rear Window, part love story and all heart. I recommend it to anyone, teen or older, who enjoys a well-written novel about friendship, relationships, secrets and the drive and passion it takes to be involved in competitive sports and the anguish a teen can feel when they are unable to partake in the thing they love. Thank you to Flatiron Books and Netgalley for the advanced review copy.
If you want to learn more about this book, you can listen to episode #31 of my book recommendation podcast, Books Are My People.
msbandthebooks's review against another edition
4.0
What to say…while I liked this book, it started out very slowly. By the end, I understood the story the author was trying to tell, but I think they could have established it earlier. In the beginning and middle, the story is a lot about the main characters concussion and her not being able to sleep, then spending every night with the neighbor boy she loves. So, it seems for a lot of the book like that’s what the story is about. It’s only in the last part of the book that it is truly revealed what the book is about and what all the lead up is about. But, by the end of the story, the author establishes and makes the reader feel the trauma the main character had been through and how it has truly affected her.
Merged review:
What to say…while I liked this book, it started out very slowly. By the end, I understood the story the author was trying to tell, but I think they could have established it earlier. In the beginning and middle, the story is a lot about the main characters concussion and her not being able to sleep, then spending every night with the neighbor boy she loves. So, it seems for a lot of the book like that’s what the story is about. It’s only in the last part of the book that it is truly revealed what the book is about and what all the lead up is about. But, by the end of the story, the author establishes and makes the reader feel the trauma the main character had been through and how it has truly affected her.
Merged review:
What to say…while I liked this book, it started out very slowly. By the end, I understood the story the author was trying to tell, but I think they could have established it earlier. In the beginning and middle, the story is a lot about the main characters concussion and her not being able to sleep, then spending every night with the neighbor boy she loves. So, it seems for a lot of the book like that’s what the story is about. It’s only in the last part of the book that it is truly revealed what the book is about and what all the lead up is about. But, by the end of the story, the author establishes and makes the reader feel the trauma the main character had been through and how it has truly affected her.
michreadsmanybooks's review against another edition
5.0
I first stumbled upon Marit Weisenberg's work last year when I read This Golden State (which I loved). The Insomniacs is just as gripping and well written. There's mystery, strong characters, romance, and it's all executed so well.
I really enjoy Weisenberg's writting style. She depicts and describes character interactions in a way that's so realistic and spot on as well as relatable. I highly recommend checking out her work. She deserves all the praise.
Merged review:
I first stumbled upon Marit Weisenberg's work last year when I read This Golden State (which I loved). The Insomniacs is just as gripping and well written. There's mystery, strong characters, romance, and it's all executed so well.
I really enjoy Weisenberg's writting style. She depicts and describes character interactions in a way that's so realistic and spot on as well as relatable. I highly recommend checking out her work. She deserves all the praise.
I really enjoy Weisenberg's writting style. She depicts and describes character interactions in a way that's so realistic and spot on as well as relatable. I highly recommend checking out her work. She deserves all the praise.
Merged review:
I first stumbled upon Marit Weisenberg's work last year when I read This Golden State (which I loved). The Insomniacs is just as gripping and well written. There's mystery, strong characters, romance, and it's all executed so well.
I really enjoy Weisenberg's writting style. She depicts and describes character interactions in a way that's so realistic and spot on as well as relatable. I highly recommend checking out her work. She deserves all the praise.
camicapa's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Probably a hidden gem. This book follows Ingrid, a teenage star diver, after an accident. She is recovering from a concussion, and the doctor has prescribed that she sleep to heal. The problem is that Ingrid can't. She can't seem to remember something related to her diving accident and the reason she made a mistake when she jumped. This keeps her up at night so, during these, she becomes overly aware of the abandoned house in front of hers and can't figure out if the lack of sleep is playing games with her mind or if something is really happening there.
When her ex-BFF, next-door neighbor, and long-time crush, Van, realizes she can't sleep either, he decides to join her and investigate together since he also suspects weird things are happening at the abandoned house.
Throughout this book, Ingrid confronts her past in the form of her childhood friend group and her relationship with the day her father abandoned her.
For some reason, it made me incredibly uncomfortable how every boy/man was described as incredibly attractive. And I just wish Van were more........ normal, or real. At times he felt like a fantasy: omgg soooo hot, and in love with our main girl since they were kids, HE IS IN A BAND!! He is the lead singer!! He is dating the hottest girl in school and everyone is in love with him! He is also the best football player in school, he is the most popular guy at school but also the nicest kid as well. AND RICH. But oh no! He is half Japanese and his dad died, and he is the black sheep of his ansambled family.
I can't explain it but it was too much. I wish he was just a really nice kid. Leave his family conflict, but no need to make him popular, etc.
At times I enjoyed their realtionship, some others they made me cringe hard. But that's on me i guess.
I liked that the mystery was simple, no murders, no real danger.
I just read a review that said the following: "The overall story was interesting, but not a single character had any depth. It’s like she drew adjectives to define each character and stayed completely committed to that one idea. It’s hard to develop any attachment to characters you don’t empathize with. "
And i have to agree. This book has a lot of characters and most of them feel either one-dimensional, and when they give you their sob story I felt nothing.
Ingrid is a character I really did enjoy and empathize with. Her relationship with Mike at first really moved me. I related to her struggles, her incapability to share her feelings, her no-sleep rush, and her sleeping in class problems.
But Van.... i simply did not care for his problems. Or Max's, etc.
When her ex-BFF, next-door neighbor, and long-time crush, Van, realizes she can't sleep either, he decides to join her and investigate together since he also suspects weird things are happening at the abandoned house.
Throughout this book, Ingrid confronts her past in the form of her childhood friend group and her relationship with the day her father abandoned her.
For some reason, it made me incredibly uncomfortable how every boy/man was described as incredibly attractive. And I just wish Van were more........ normal, or real. At times he felt like a fantasy: omgg soooo hot, and in love with our main girl since they were kids, HE IS IN A BAND!! He is the lead singer!! He is dating the hottest girl in school and everyone is in love with him! He is also the best football player in school, he is the most popular guy at school but also the nicest kid as well. AND RICH. But oh no! He is half Japanese and his dad died, and he is the black sheep of his ansambled family.
I can't explain it but it was too much. I wish he was just a really nice kid. Leave his family conflict, but no need to make him popular, etc.
At times I enjoyed their realtionship, some others they made me cringe hard. But that's on me i guess.
I liked that the mystery was simple, no murders, no real danger.
I just read a review that said the following: "The overall story was interesting, but not a single character had any depth. It’s like she drew adjectives to define each character and stayed completely committed to that one idea. It’s hard to develop any attachment to characters you don’t empathize with. "
And i have to agree. This book has a lot of characters and most of them feel either one-dimensional, and when they give you their sob story I felt nothing.
Ingrid is a character I really did enjoy and empathize with. Her relationship with Mike at first really moved me. I related to her struggles, her incapability to share her feelings, her no-sleep rush, and her sleeping in class problems.
But Van.... i simply did not care for his problems. Or Max's, etc.
moon134340child's review
2.0
THANK GOD I FINALLY FINISHED THIS IT TOOK FOREVER!!!
What was the plot of this again? Cuz i couldnt find it while reading.
Also this... " Im a diver. I’m not a regular girl'
What was the plot of this again? Cuz i couldnt find it while reading.
Also this... " Im a diver. I’m not a regular girl'
msbandthebooks's review
4.0
What to say…while I liked this book, it started out very slowly. By the end, I understood the story the author was trying to tell, but I think they could have established it earlier. In the beginning and middle, the story is a lot about the main characters concussion and her not being able to sleep, then spending every night with the neighbor boy she loves. So, it seems for a lot of the book like that’s what the story is about. It’s only in the last part of the book that it is truly revealed what the book is about and what all the lead up is about. But, by the end of the story, the author establishes and makes the reader feel the trauma the main character had been through and how it has truly affected her.