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pbraue13 's review for:
Summer of Night
by Dan Simmons
adventurous
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
☀️“There is no need to talk of fears or darkness — only the light that will come.”☀️
Summer of Night - Dan Simmons 🔔🚲☀️
This is a haunting, nostalgic journey back to childhood summers filled with both innocent wonder and creeping terror. While the novel’s beautifully vivid prose and rich characterizations truly shine, the experience of reading it was somewhat tempered by an off-putting introduction that felt like an old man yelling “back in my day” about how kids today lack freedom. That rant almost made me set the book aside before I even began, but I’m glad I pushed through.
Set in the small town of Elm Haven in 1960, the story follows a tight-knit group of boys who uncover a dark, supernatural presence lurking beneath their school. The novel’s strength lies in its portrayal of childhood friendship and the bittersweet passage from innocence to experience. Simmons writes with a lyricism that can be both terrifying—moments had me genuinely spooked—and deeply emotional, with certain deaths (you know who) hitting me harder than expected. The characters felt real and fully fleshed out, which made their peril all the more affecting.
Much like Stephen King’s “It”, “Summer of Night” captures the magic and menace of youth, a summer where a group of kids band together to confront evil. The nostalgic tone and coming-of-age themes are palpable, making the novel a heartfelt homage to the power of friendship and courage.
That said, the book does suffer from some pacing issues that slowed down my reading at times. And knowing Simmons’ more recent hardcore right-wing political views, I can’t help but view the novel through a more complicated lens now. Still, “Summer of Night” remains a memorable and compelling read, a vivid snapshot of a vanished childhood filled with both light and shadow.
If you can get past the grumpy introduction and the uneven pacing, there’s a genuinely affecting story here worth experiencing.
Summer of Night - Dan Simmons 🔔🚲☀️
This is a haunting, nostalgic journey back to childhood summers filled with both innocent wonder and creeping terror. While the novel’s beautifully vivid prose and rich characterizations truly shine, the experience of reading it was somewhat tempered by an off-putting introduction that felt like an old man yelling “back in my day” about how kids today lack freedom. That rant almost made me set the book aside before I even began, but I’m glad I pushed through.
Set in the small town of Elm Haven in 1960, the story follows a tight-knit group of boys who uncover a dark, supernatural presence lurking beneath their school. The novel’s strength lies in its portrayal of childhood friendship and the bittersweet passage from innocence to experience. Simmons writes with a lyricism that can be both terrifying—moments had me genuinely spooked—and deeply emotional, with certain deaths (you know who) hitting me harder than expected. The characters felt real and fully fleshed out, which made their peril all the more affecting.
Much like Stephen King’s “It”, “Summer of Night” captures the magic and menace of youth, a summer where a group of kids band together to confront evil. The nostalgic tone and coming-of-age themes are palpable, making the novel a heartfelt homage to the power of friendship and courage.
That said, the book does suffer from some pacing issues that slowed down my reading at times. And knowing Simmons’ more recent hardcore right-wing political views, I can’t help but view the novel through a more complicated lens now. Still, “Summer of Night” remains a memorable and compelling read, a vivid snapshot of a vanished childhood filled with both light and shadow.
If you can get past the grumpy introduction and the uneven pacing, there’s a genuinely affecting story here worth experiencing.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Gore, Homophobia, Sexism